Mar 7, 2024 - Economy

Netflix lands Jake Paul vs. Mike Tyson boxing match in bet on live sports

Nathan Bomey

Tyson and Paul in boxing gloves — Photos: Gilbert Flores/Penske Media, Al Bello/Getty Images

Mike Tyson will fight Jake Paul on Netflix on July 20, marking a spectacle of history vs. modernity for boxing fans and another splashy step into sports programming for the streaming service.

Why it matters: There isn't a heavyweight belt at stake, but this fight will likely draw tons of eyeballs for Netflix, which hasn't been a destination for live sports up to now and had previously claimed it didn't want to become one.

In January, Netflix announced a 10-year deal with the WWE, valued at $5 billion, to air "Monday Night Raw."
Netflix first began to dabble with livestreaming comedy shows, and has since expanded its livestreaming portfolio to include award shows, reality programs, and live sporting events, Axios' Sara Fischer reports.

The big picture: Tyson, 57, was once the most feared fighter on the planet, while internet celebrity Paul started as a creature of social media and then transformed himself into an aspiring boxer.

They'll fight at the 80,000-seat AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, where the Dallas Cowboys play.
"Mike Tyson is one of the biggest icons in boxing history and Jake Paul is one of the biggest disruptors in boxing history," Gabe Spitzer, vice president of nonfiction sports at Netflix, said in a statement. "Saturday, July 20 will be pure drama in the ring in Texas."

Go deeper: How Netflix won the streaming wars

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Netflix lands Jake Paul vs. Mike Tyson boxing match in bet on live sports

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