July 20 Bout Delayed as Tyson Recovers from Ulcer Flare-Up
The highly anticipated fight between YouTuber-turned-boxer Jake Paul and former world champion Mike Tyson, originally scheduled for July 20 at Arlington’s AT&T Stadium in Texas, has been postponed. Tyson, 57, revealed he has been unable to train due to a recent ulcer flare-up, leading to the delay.
Tyson’s health concerns
“Unfortunately, due to my ulcer flare-up, I have been advised by my doctor to lighten my training for a few weeks to rest and recover,” Tyson said. “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.”
Event rescheduling
Most Valuable Promotions (MVP), which is organizing the event alongside Netflix, announced that a new date will be disclosed on June 7. The fight was set to take place at the 80,000-capacity AT&T Stadium, home of the NFL’s Dallas Cowboys.
“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 stated. “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.”
Support from Jake Paul
Jake Paul, who is 30 years younger than Tyson and has won nine of his 10 fights, expressed his support for the postponement. “I fully support postponing the event so Mike Tyson has no excuses come fight night,” Paul said. “I do not want to face Tyson at anything but his best.”
Organizers have not yet mentioned the status of the light-welterweight champion Katie Taylor’s rematch with Amanda Serrano, which was also set for the same night. It is expected that the entire card will be rescheduled.
Tyson, who will be 58 at the time of the fight, ended his professional career in 2005 but has competed in exhibition bouts, most recently in 2020. He made history as the first heavyweight boxer to simultaneously hold the WBA, WBC, and IBF titles in 1987, but his reign as unified champion ended in a shocking defeat to Buster Douglas in 1990.
Next steps
The health and wellbeing of the athletes remain the top priority for MVP, and they fully support Tyson in taking the necessary time to recover and perform at his best.
