This composite image compares former boxers Mike Tyson (left) and Jake Paul (right). Tyson and Paul are scheduled to meet in a July 2024 bout.
François Nel | Christian Petersen | Getty Images
Mike Tyson’s return to the boxing ring this summer to fight Jake Paul is already seeing soaring ticket prices and strong bettor interest.
The July 20 game will be held at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas and will be streamed worldwide. Netflix, is expected to be the heaviest bet on a boxing match this year. Fans are already lining up for tickets to see former heavyweight champion Tyson, then 58, take on Paul, a 27-year-old social media influencer turned boxer.
The bout, which is recognized as a professional bout, will last eight rounds with each round lasting two minutes. Tyson last fought in an exhibition match in 2020, but his last professional fight was in 2005.
The event will also feature lightweight world champion Katie Taylor facing boxing pioneer and unified featherweight champion Amanda Serrano. The pair previously achieved the first-ever sold-out crowd at the women’s headline boxing event at Madison Square Garden.
More than 121,000 fans have signed up for pre-sale access to the fight, according to Paul’s co-owned company Most Valuable Promotions, which is promoting the event. Tickets will officially go on sale next Thursday.
“This is a once-in-a-lifetime event that literally spans six generations,” said MVP co-founder Nakisa Bidalian.
Mr. Bidalian said 35,000 people expressed a desire to sit on the floor of the venue, and more than 10,000 wanted VIP seating.
Most Valuable Promotions is also offering a unique $2 million VIP package for this fight. The promotion plans to offer two ringside seats, something that has never been offered before in boxing.
The package includes four first-row floor seats for the event, four second-row floor seats, pre-fight locker room photos with both Paul and Tyson, autographed gloves from both fighters, and a luxury penthouse at the hotel. Includes 2 nights stay. Where fighters stay.
“We’re trying to bring awareness and exposure back to boxing in a massive way. That hasn’t been the case for many years,” Bidalian said.
For those who can’t afford $2 million, secondary market sites like Gametime are publishing ticket prices for the event. The cheapest tickets currently sell for $357 each, with ringside seats selling for $8,067 each for him.
There is also a growing interest in fighting gambling. BetMGM is already betting on this match. The odds show Jake Paul as the current favorite to win (-145), but 70% of the money is bet on Tyson.
“This is the type of megafight that will engage multiple demographics: Tyson supporters, Jake Paul haters and casual sports fans,” said Alex Lera, senior trader at BetMGM. “I fully expect this to be the most bet boxing match of the year.”
The financial terms of the fight and the amount Netflix will receive from it have not yet been announced. Netflix will make the match available for free to all subscribers as the streaming giant continues its foray into sports.
Tyson and Paul are expected to reach eight figures, Bidalian said.
“We expect this to be the most-watched streaming event in U.S. sports,” he added.
