Jake Paul vs. Mike Tyson: Predictions, latest news for Netflix fight

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Michael Page doesn't like the idea of Mike Tyson fighting Jake Paul

Sports Seriously's Tony Anderson talks with mixed martial artist Michael "Venom" Page about the upcoming Tyson vs Paul fight happening this summer.

Sports Seriously

The much-anticipated fight between "Iron" Mike Tyson and "The Problem Child" Jake Paul is set for July 20, 2024. The fight has been marketed relentlessly. The contracts have been signed. The hype is real. However, there appears to still be a chance the event gets canceled altogether.

According to USA Today's Josh Peter, although the fight is on the official AT&T Stadium event calendar, and neither fighter's party has expressed any concern with the match not going forward, the fight has still yet to be approved by the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation (TDLR). So, what does this mean for the fight moving forward? Is it actually in danger of being scrapped?

Here is the latest news and predictions for the Tyson-Paul bout.

Paul-Tyson: Jake Paul vs. Mike Tyson is scheduled for July 20. But fight still must be approved

Has the fight been approved yet?

As of April 9, the fight has still yet to be approved by the TDLR. But what does that mean for the fight's future? Probably not much. The TDLR requires authorization in order to decide whether each fight will be an exhibition or professional bout. While they have not made a statement on the matter, Tyson recently came forward to say the fight will be an exhibition.

If the fighters wanted the bout to be an official match, Tyson would have had to undergo several physical exams and submit favorable results from an electroencephalogram and an electrocardiogram. Perhaps all the hoops that the pair would have had to jump through turned them away from pushing for an official match. That is just speculation though.

The fight must be given an official designation at least 21 days before the fight.

Have the rules for the fight been announced yet?

Not yet. While there have been hundreds of rumors regarding whether or not each fighter will wear headgear and if the fighters will wear bigger gloves, nothing has been officially confirmed as of yet.

Predictions for Tyson-Paul fight:

Lennox Lewis: "I don't want [Jake Paul] to get hurt"

After Tyson revealed that the match would be an exhibition, former heavyweight champ Lennox Lewis told TMZ that he was glad it was going to be an exhibition because he didn't want Jake Paul to get hurt, even claiming Paul was "lucky" the fight was an exhibition. That alone shows how much faith Lewis has in Tyson, despite Lewis having defeated Tyson in 2002. Most people assume that Tyson will be the one in danger of getting hurt, considering he is three decades older than Paul. However, Lewis must believe Tyson still has a lot left in the tank.

Anthony Joshua: Backing Jake Paul

During an interview on The Jonathan Ross Show this week, the British boxer voiced his thoughts on the anticipated fight between Paul and Tyson, backing Jake Paul. "[Mike Tyson is] older now," said Joshua. "I pray that he comes out healthy. I think Jake Paulbecause of youth - that's the only thing."

Roy Jones Jr.: "Mike Tyson will kill [Jake Paul]"

Roy Jones Jr. fought Mike Tyson in an exhibition match as recently as 2020. Anyone who watched that match could tell that Tyson was outclassing Jones. While the fight ended in a draw, you could tell that Tyson had the advantage throughout the entirety of the match. Jones clearly hasn't forgotten, and still believes Tyson has a lot of power, enough to seriously injure Jake Paul.

During an interview with talkSPORT this week, Jones said "Mike will kill [Paul]." Of course, a week ago, Jones also told The Lunch Club that "Jake Paul has gotten a lot better as a boxer. But Mike Tyson, even at 58 or however old he is, is still Mike Tyson." It's clear that Jones is expecting Tyson to wipe the floor in July.

What are the odds for the Tyson-Paul match?

A month ago, Jake Paul was a huge favorite according to DraftKings sportsbook, sitting at -360 odds.

So long as Tyson keeps putting out training videos and news keeps emerging that Tyson's insane blows have been making his trainer throw up, Tyson should continue to see his odds improve.

Tyson-Paul: Video shows Tyson's trainer wincing, spitting fluid after absorbing punches from Iron Mike

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