Mike Tyson has confirmed his upcoming fight against Jake Paul, scheduled for November 15 at the AT&T Arena in Arlington, Texas, in front of 90,000 fans. Initially, Tyson had been set to fight John Fury, the father of heavyweight champion Tyson Fury, but he had to withdraw from a prior match due to a flare-up of an ulcer.
This upcoming bout with Paul marks Tyson’s first fight since an exhibition match against Roy Jones Jr. in November 2020 and his first professional fight since 2005. Tyson had previously expressed interest in facing John Fury, who has long admired him and even named his son after the boxing legend.
During a press conference ahead of Fury’s controversial split-decision win over Francis Ngannou in October 2023, John Fury proposed a match with Tyson, suggesting they could fight if his son lost. Tyson reacted with laughter and enthusiasm, acknowledging the long-standing admiration John Fury has for him.
Despite John Fury’s disappointment that Tyson chose to fight Paul instead of him, he remains open to any fight opportunities, stating that he is willing to risk his life for the right matchup. Tyson, who once dominated the heavyweight scene with a remarkable 37 consecutive wins, has had emotional encounters with John Fury, particularly regarding the challenging birth of Tyson Fury.
Overall, while Tyson gears up for his match against Paul, the potential bout with John Fury remains an intriguing possibility for the future.