Mike Tyson Opens As Underdog in Boxing Match vs. Jake Paul

It has been a long time since we saw the legendary Mike Tyson in a boxing ring. The last time that he laced up the gloves was for an exhibition against Roy Jones Jr. in 2020. On the undercard of that bout was Jake Paul, who knocked out former NBA star Nate Robinson in epic fashion.

In just a few short weeks, it will be Mike Tyson stepping back into the ring to face Paul in a heavyweight bout. Tyson, who turns 58 in June, will be facing Paul, who is 27, on July 20th at AT&T Stadium in a fight that will be live on Netflix.

The match was sanctioned by the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulations earlier this week, which led to immediate odds being posted at sportsbooks. Somewhat surprisingly, in the opinion of many, Mike Tyson opened up as an underdog.

Paul had odds as short as -230 at some sportsbooks, but the action so far has come in on Mike Tyson. While the action has been light, there is enough money being wagered that Paul is as long as -180 at some sportsbooks.

Fighting as an underdog isn’t something that Mike Tyson has been used to during his boxing career. He has a record of 50-6 with 44 knockouts, as this bout with Paul will be included on their professional records. This will be his first professional fight since he was 38.

Paul enters the bout 9-1 with six knockouts. Many of his bouts have been crossover matches against MMA fighters, with his only loss coming against Tommy Fury, who is a boxer by trade. A former YouTube influencer, Paul’s fights have garnered a ton of interest in the past.

His match against MMA star Nick Diaz last year was the second-most best fight at DraftKings in 2023. While many people don’t love his antics, he has certainly found a way to make the most of these ventures.