The highly anticipated fight between YouTuber-turned-boxer Jake Paul and former world champion Mike Tyson, initially scheduled for July 20 in Texas, has been postponed.
The bout, set to take place at Arlington’s AT&T Stadium, home of the NFL’s Dallas Cowboys, had been officially sanctioned as a professional fight. However, Tyson, 57, has been unable to train due to a recent ulcer flare-up.
“Unfortunately, due to my ulcer flareup, I have been advised by my doctor to lighten my training for a few weeks to rest and recover,” said Tyson.
“My body is in better overall shape than it has been since the 1990s and I will be back to my full training schedule soon.”
Organizers have not yet mentioned whether light-welterweight champion Katie Taylor’s rematch with Amanda Serrano, initially scheduled for the same night, will be affected, but it is anticipated that it will also be rescheduled along with the rest of the card.
Most Valuable Promotions (MVP), which is staging the event at the 80,000-capacity stadium alongside Netflix, announced that a new date for the fight will be revealed on June 7.
“The recommendation is for Mike Tyson to do minimal to light training over the next few weeks and then return to full training with no limitations,” MVP said.
“Both Mike and Jake are in agreement that it is only fair to ensure that both athletes have equal training time to prepare for this important match and are able to compete at the highest level.
“The health and wellbeing of athletes is our top priority, and we fully support Mike in taking the necessary time to allow him to perform at the level he expects of himself.”
Tyson, who would have turned 58 at the time of the fight and whose professional career ended in 2005, most recently competed in an exhibition bout in 2020.
He was the first heavyweight boxer to simultaneously hold the WBA, WBC and IBF titles in 1987 but his reign as unified champion came to a shock end in 1990 as he was beaten by Buster Douglas in one of the biggest upsets in boxing history.
Paul, 27, is 30 years younger than Tyson and has won nine of his 10 fights, mostly against former UFC fighters, with his solitary defeat coming against British boxer Tommy Fury in February 2023.
He added: “I fully support postponing the event so Mike Tyson has no excuses come fight night.”
Paul said he did not want to face Tyson “at anything but his best”.