Jake Paul said he felt “numb” when Mike Tyson pulled out of their scheduled fight earlier this year, before it was rescheduled for November 15.
The 27-year-old YouTube star, who’s 10-1 as a pro boxer, was set to face Tyson, a boxing legend, in a highly anticipated match. Tyson, 58, had to withdraw after suffering an ulcer flare-up during a flight in May, leading to a delay in the fight.
In the Netflix documentary Countdown: Paul vs Tyson, Paul shared his reaction to the news: “When I heard he was out, I was just numb. I like my schedule, and this threw everything off. There was nothing I could do, it was out of my control.” He also acknowledged Tyson’s status as a boxing icon, saying, “This is the opportunity of a lifetime to fight one of the two most famous boxers ever, alongside Muhammad Ali.”
Tyson, who last fought professionally in 2005, will face Paul in a sanctioned pro fight at AT&T Stadium in Dallas, Texas, scheduled for eight rounds. Knockouts are allowed. Tyson’s most recent ring appearance was in a 2020 exhibition match against Roy Jones Jr.
After Tyson’s withdrawal, Paul fought Mike Perry, a former UFC fighter, and won by sixth-round knockout. Paul has faced several former UFC stars in the ring, including Nate Diaz, Ben Askren, Anderson Silva, and Tyron Woodley. His only loss came against Tommy Fury in 2023, but Paul has also defeated lesser-known pro boxers like Ryan Bourland and Andre August by knockout.
