close
close

Le-verdict

News with a Local Lens

    • Mike Tyson vs. Jake Paul Fight Rules Might Surprise Viewers
    minsta

    Mike Tyson vs. Jake Paul Fight Rules Might Surprise Viewers

    Pabio Posted on

    play

    A 58 year old man fighting a 27 year old man in a sanctioned professional boxing match is not normal. The rules according to which Mike Tyson and Jake Paul will fight on November 15 at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas.

    In a scheduled eight-round fight, here are the most important things to know about non-traditional rules:

    • Rounds will last two minutes, one minute less than the standard three-minute round typically used for men’s fights. (Two-minute rounds are used for amateur and most professional women’s fights.)
    • The boxing gloves will weigh 14 ounces rather than the standard 10 ounce gloves typically used in professional sanctioned fights by boxers weighing 147 pounds or more.

    Tyson is widely expected to benefit from the shortened rounds because he will have to expend less energy against a boxer 31 years younger than him.

    There is still debate over whether either fighter will benefit significantly from the heavier gloves, with some boxing experts saying the extra padding will soften blows.

    "Yeah, all her rules," Paul said in May on his podcast. “I agreed to all his rules.”

    Tyson said he wanted the two-minute rounds to increase the action. He did not address the issue of using thicker gloves.

    Tyson-Paul Ticket Update: Jake Paul’s big speech to 90,000 fans for Mike Tyson fight is no guarantee

    Tyson vs. Paul Rules: How Did It Happen?

    Many state boxing commissions require three-minute rounds and 10-ounce gloves for professional fights involving male boxers weighing 147 pounds or more. This is not the case in Texas.

    The Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation, which oversees combat sports in Texas, has bowed to fight promoter Tyson-Paul’s demands for rules.

    The promoter is Bryce Holden of Holden Boxing. Holden works for Most Valuable Promotions, co-founded by Jake Paul and his advisor Nakisa Bidarian. Most Valuable Promotions and Netflix have teamed up to organize the fight. Holden did not respond to USA TODAY’s requests for comment made via voicemail and text message.

    The use of 14-ounce gloves for a sanctioned professional fight will be a first in Texas, according to Tela Mange, TDLR communications manager. Two-minute rounds for fights involving male boxers are also rare in Texas, according to Mange.

    “We’ve had a few men’s fights that were pro debuts and lasted two-minute rounds, but it’s been a while and I haven’t been able to figure out who it was,” she said.

    When asked why the TDLR made exceptions for the Tyson-Paul fight, Mange replied: “…if two candidates ask for conditions that do not represent a security issue and do not violate the law and/or the rules, then we can agree to regulate. the event and ensure that these conditions are applied. Having heavier gloves and shorter courses does not make the event more dangerous for either competitor.

    How to watch: Jake Paul vs. Mike Tyson: How to Watch and Broadcast for a Mega Boxing Event

    What they say about the Tyson-Paul rules

    Nico Ali Walsh, grandson of Muhammad Ali and a professional fighter, said he believes the non-traditional rules are essential safety precautions.

    “I don’t think any sanctioning body would allow the fight to happen with Mike if it was 10-ounce gloves and three-minute rounds,” he said.

    Mange, when asked whether the endorsement of professional fighting was based on heavier gloves and shorter balls, said the TDLR “is not going to speculate on the issue.”

    But Kathy Duva, a longtime boxing promoter, suggested the fight is sanctioned in name only, given the rules that will be in place.

    “Sanction or not, it’s an exhibition when you start changing the rules,” she said.

    The major difference between a sanctioned professional fight and an exhibition is that the result of a professional fight counts toward a boxer’s record.

    Tyson has not fought professionally since 2005. His eight-round fight against Roy Jones Jr. in 2020 was an exhibition with two-minute rounds and 12-ounce gloves. Boxers were instructed by the California State Athletic Commission not to try to knock each other out.

    In contrast, in a sanctioned professional fight, boxers are expected to try to eliminate each other.

    George Foreman, the retired heavyweight champion, clearly thinks a knockout is possible despite using 14-ounce gloves rather than 10-ounce gloves.

    “For a real puncher, there’s virtually no difference,” he said. “When I was training back then, a lot of guys were hurt and hanging on when I hit them. …. (A 14-ounce glove) can’t mask the power.”

    Zach Schlouch, director of sports betting operations for Rush Street Initiatives, suggests that the rules impact how bettors view the fight.

    “Generally speaking, shorter rounds lead to more action,” Schlouch told USA TODAY Sports via email. “When there is less time in a round, there is less emphasis on the long-term strategic approach and more on maintaining high intensity – which is of course what the organizers and fans of this fight.

    “However, in a fight like this with a large age difference, heavier gloves are used to focus the fighters on proper technique and to help prevent injury. This fact definitely favors Jake Paul since the heavier gloves big threaten to take down Mike Tyson’s legendary punch.

    Pabio
    View all posts

    You Might Also Like