Betting on the Mike Tyson vs Jake Paul fight has been banned in several US states.
The gloves are off (well, actually they’re on), as Jake “The Problem Child” Paul and Mike “Iron Mike” Tyson step into the ring at Texas’ AT&T Stadium on November 15. The mouthy YouTuber and former undisputed heavyweight champion of the world were originally supposed to fight it out in July 2020, but due to a medical issue with Tyson, it was postponed.
Hype has only built thanks to the boxing match’s delay, and while the typically cocky Paul has been making jibes at Tyson, the latter seems to have his eyes firmly on the prize. As Tyson has already reiterated, it’s not about the money. Although he’ll reportedly net in the region of $20 million, Tyson says he’s here for the ‘glory’.
Jake Paul is 31 years younger than Tyson (Anadolu / Contributor / Getty)
It’s not just the fighters set to make a pretty penny, as the sporting world is throwing its dollars on bets about who will come out victorious.
The 58-year-old Tyson is taking on the 27-year-old Paul in a fight that hopes to match 1971’s Joe Frazier vs Muhammad Ali being dubbed the ‘Fight of the Century’. Still, some remain unconvinced, and as well as branding it a ‘circus’, others have called out a series of controversial rule changes that they claim don’t make it a ‘proper’ fight.
It seems that some governing bodies also agree that the fight has been diluted, with seven US states placing a ban on bets for the fight.
According to ESPN, seven of the 38 states where sports betting is legalized have pulled the plug on the Jake Paul vs Mike Tyson fight. The site explains how New York, Pennsylvania, and Colorado are the big three who are refusing bets on the fight. In particular, the New York State Gaming Commission says it won’t be taking bets due to the fight’s ‘non-traditional rules’.
Colorado gambling chiefs also cited how the pair weren’t both professionally ranked, while a source for Pennsylvania is quoted as saying: “Given the totality of factors, the decision was made in the best interest of the betting public not to permit wagering in Pennsylvania.”
Tyson says he’s not in it for the money (Ed Mulholland / Contributor / Getty)
Alongside heavier gloves and a lack of headguards, the rounds are reduced to two-minute bouts instead of the traditional three minutes.
Apparently, it was Tyson’s idea to go with a non-sanctioned fight. Nakisa Bidarian, the co-founder of Most Valuable Promotions alongside Paul, told ESPN: “It was [Tyson’s] choice, not that Jake didn’t want to do it [as a sanctioned fight]. We were bringing Mike Tyson back into the sport, and I believe that it was more meaningful as a pro fight.”
Even in the 31 states that are accepting bets, there are worries that there could be a backlash if either is seen as treating the fight as an ‘exhibition’ instead of a competitive boxing match.
The bets continue to pour in, and although Tyson looks impressive in his training, he’s currently the underdog at +185. In those states where betting is being accepted, some are destined to make a small fortune on the sporting event of the year.
There is a reason behind the controversial rule changes for Mike Tyson’s fight against Jake Paul.
The changes have left many fans feeling furious as the match between the boxer and the YouTuber approaches.
They are due to go head to head on Friday (November 15) at the AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas.
The pair will fight it out in the ring (Sarah Stier/Getty Images for Netflix)
However, there is a difference in this fight with traditional boxing matches and that’s the length of each round.
This showdown will be contested over eight two-minute rounds, rather than the traditional three-minute rounds.
This was a request put forward by Tyson to the local commission and it was approved by the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulations.
The reasoning behind it is that Tyson believes the shorter rounds will bring more action and make it a more entertaining event.
When asked why he wanted to modify the match, he said: “I wanted shorter rounds for more action. If we have shorter rounds, we’ll fight more. More action.”
On the rule request, Nakisa Bidarian, co-founder of Most Valuable Promotions, added: “It was [Tyson’s] choice, not that Jake didn’t want to do it [as a sanctioned fight].
“We were bringing Mike Tyson back into the sport, and I believe that it was more meaningful as a pro fight.”
Mike Tyson made a rule change request (Steve Granitz/FilmMagic/Getty Images)
However, this isn’t the only rule change.
There will be eight rounds instead of 12 and the pair will be wearing 14-ounce gloves instead of the standard 10-ounce gloves worn in a heavyweight fight.
It has been said that the heavier the glove is, the more padding and shock absorption they have.
Many fans have taken to social media to share their reactions to the rule changes, with some believing that it will tip the fight in the favor of one of the boxers.
One user wrote: “The two minute rule is HUGE. At Tyson’s age, a two minute sprint, one minute recovery is much easier than three on, one off.”
But others think it’s skewed for Paul, and when someone asked if they think the fight is legit, another added: “Nope. Two minute rounds. Heavier more padded gloves! This is strictly built for entertaining Jake’s fans. That being said, Tyson in 2.”
The fight was originally set to take place in July but had to be rescheduled due to Tyson suffering health issues.
The pair are expected to begin their ring walks at 11pm ET on November 15 and the fight will be streamed live on Netflix.
