The long-anticipated boxing match between Mike Tyson and Jake Paul is finally on when the duo meets in the ring Friday night. However, as you might expect for a fight between a 58-year-old former undisputed heavyweight champ and a 27-year-old social media star at the start of his pro boxing career, this ain’t your usual boxing match. So you should expect some different fight rules for this one.
The bout is not an exhibition match, but a sanctioned pro match that goes on the athletes’ records. However, ahead of Friday night’s fight at the AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulations has approved several amended rules. Here’s the breakdown of the Paul vs. Tyson fight rules.
The Paul vs. Tyson Fight Will Have Just 8 Rounds
While boxing matches can certainly have fewer rounds (Olympic boxing has just three rounds), pro matches typically have somewhere between 9-12 rounds.
However, the Paul vs. Tyson fight will have just eight rounds — and they’re short ones, too — assuming neither of the fighters manage to land a knockout.
Each Round Will Last for 2 Minutes
Another deviation from the norm, the Paul vs. Tyson fight will have eight two-minute rounds rather than the standard 3-minute rounds.
“I wanted the shorter rounds because I wanted more action,” Tyson said at a press conference in May 2024. “If we only have two minutes, we’ll fight more.”
Knockouts Are Allowed
Mike Tyson’s last professional fight was back in 2005. But he did return to the ring for an exhibition match against Roy Jones Jr. in 2020. That fight had a no-knockout clause.
No such agreement exists for the Paul vs. Tyson fight, which means knockouts are permitted — and promised.
“I want that killer. I want the hardest match possible Friday night and I want there to be no excuses from anyone when I knock him out,” Paul said during the lead-up press conference.
They’ll Also Be Wearing Heavier Gloves
Both Tyson and Paul will be wearing 14oz gloves for the match, rather than the standard 10oz gloves used for heavyweight division fights. The heavier gloves are typically used for training to protect the hands.
Tyson was asked about the change during a recent Newsmax interview and the boxer succinctly said, ““Well, you know, most of the gloves that are ten ounces—they don’t fit my hand properly. And the 14-ounce, they don’t fit that well either. But they’re comfortable enough.”
