Netflix’s next live event is a fight between Jake Paul and Mike Tyson

Photo by Al Bello / Getty ImagesNetflix’s foray into sports is going in a new direction. Today, the streamer announced that its next major event will be a fight between YouTuber-turned-boxer Jake Paul and former heavyweight champion Mike Tyson...

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Mar 7, 2024 - 21:02
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Netflix’s next live event is a fight between Jake Paul and Mike Tyson

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The match will take place on July 20th at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas.

By Andrew Webster, an entertainment editor covering streaming, virtual worlds, and every single Pokémon video game. Andrew joined The Verge in 2012, writing over 4,000 stories.

Mar 7, 2024, 2:49 PM UTC

Jake Paul punches Ryan Bourland during their cruiserweight fight at Coliseo de Puerto Rico on March 2nd, 2024, in Hato Rey, Puerto Rico.

Photo by Al Bello / Getty Images

Netflix’s foray into sports is going in a new direction. Today, the streamer announced that its next major event will be a fight between YouTuber-turned-boxer Jake Paul and former heavyweight champion Mike Tyson that will stream live on Netflix. The bout will take place on July 20th at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas.

The move is part of a steady expansion into sports from Netflix. So far, that has meant going all in on sports documentaries — including a doc about Paul’s fledgling boxing career — as well as a handful of live events featuring golf and tennis. But two headline (if controversial) names duking it out in an NFL stadium that seats 80,000 marks arguably the biggest bet from the company yet. (And it comes at a time when other broadcasters have largely gotten out of boxing.)

“It’s crazy to think that in my second pro fight, I went viral for knocking out Nate Robinson on Mike Tyson’s undercard,” Paul said in a statement. “Now, less than four years later, I’m stepping up to face Tyson myself to see if I have what it takes to beat one of boxing’s most notorious fighters and biggest icons.”