The fight between retired boxer Mike Tyson and Jake Paul will be an exhibition match. This means that the fight will not have the usual rules of engagement we expect from a professional match – and it would not reflect on the professional records of the two fighters. It also means that there will be no declared winner, which is something that may not sit well with already divided fans. 

Speaking about the exhibition rules, the state boxing regulation body, Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation (TDLR), explained what counts under an exhibition fight and gave us a glimpse as to what to expect: “Under TDLR rules, in an exhibition fight the combatants wear bigger gloves (16oz), have two-minute rounds and fight in fewer rounds than a sanctioned professional bout. In an exhibition, there is a referee, but no judges, and no winner is declared.”

Since the announcement of the fight last month, boxing fans have expressed mixed reactions, with some happy that such a fight is taking place at all while some others have not hidden their disappointment over what they call a “rigged match”. Tyson and Paul are two boxers from different generations, but that is not the only thing that divides them.

At age 20, Tyson became a heavyweight champion after facing some of the toughest opponents along the way, while 27-year-old Paul is yet to fight a title holder – or a former one. There is a disparity between the two, which has turned off a lot of boxing fans. Still, the match is expected to be viewed by many as it will be streamed on Netflix and would take place at the 80,000-seater AT&T stadium.  

Still, exhibition or not, Iron Tyson is taking the fight quite seriously, as we have seen from training videos on his social media handles. Even at age 58, not many people would want to be near the punching range of the champ, but Paul believes he has a chance with him in the ring.

Leon Osamor