This composite image shows a comparison between former boxer Mike Tyson (left) and Jake Paul (right). Tyson and Paul face each other in an exhibition fight in July 2024.
François Nel | Christian Petersen | fake images
Mike Tyson's return to the boxing ring to fight Jake Paul this summer is already seeing skyrocketing ticket prices and strong interest from punters.
The July 20 fight, which will take place at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, and will be broadcast globally on NetflixIt is expected to be the boxing match with the most bets of the year. Fans are already lining up to buy tickets to see former heavyweight champion Tyson, who will be 58 at the time, take on 27-year-old social media influencer-turned-boxer Paul.
The fight, which will be sanctioned as a professional fight, will be 8 rounds, two minutes each. Tyson last fought in an exhibition bout in 2020, but his last professional fight took place in 2005.
The event will also feature lightweight world champion Katie Taylor against boxing pioneer and unified featherweight champion Amanda Serrano. The two previously achieved the first-ever sold-out women's boxing event at Madison Square Garden.
Most Valuable Promotions, Paul's co-owned company promoting the event, said more than 121,000 fans have registered for pre-sale access to the fight. Tickets officially go on sale next Thursday.
“This is a once-in-a-lifetime event that literally affects six generations,” said Nakisa Bidarian, co-founder of MVP.
Bidarian said 35,000 people have indicated they want to sit on the floor of the venue and more than 10,000 have said they want VIP seats.
Most Valuable Promotions also has a unique offer for the fight: a $2 million VIP package. The promotion said it will include two ringside seats, which it said have never before been offered in boxing.
The package will also include four front-row seats to the event, four second-row seats, a pre-fight locker room photo with Paul and Tyson, gloves signed by both fighters and two nights of accommodation in a luxury penthouse. at the hotel. where the combatants will stay.
“We're trying to bring awareness and exposure to boxing in a huge way. That hasn't been the case for many, many years,” Bidarian said.
For those who can't shell out the $2 million, secondary market sites like Gametime have posted ticket prices for the event. Currently, the lowest-cost tickets are available for $357 each, and front-row seats sell for $8,067 each.
Player interest in the fight has also increased. BetMGM is already accepting bets on the fight. The odds show Jake Paul as the current favorite (-145), but 70% of the money is bet on Tyson.
“This is the type of mega fight that will appeal to multiple demographics: Tyson supporters, Jake Paul haters and casual sports fans,” said Alex Rella, senior trader at BetMGM. “I hope this is the highest stakes boxing match of the year.”
The financial terms of the fight and what Netflix will receive from it have not been released. Netflix will make the fight available to all subscribers free of charge as the streaming giant continues its foray into sports.
Tyson and Paul are expected to earn eight figures, Bidarian said.
“We hope this becomes the most watched streaming sporting event in the United States,” he added.
