The same commission that still outlaws marijuana use will sanction Mike Tyson-Jake Paul as an official pro bout.

Event handlers confirmed on Monday that the July 20 Netflix headliner will move forward as an actual fight and not as an exhibition contest. Approval was granted by the Texas Department of Licensing on Regulations (TDLR), though not under traditional boxing rules.

The show will take place live from AT&T Stadium, home to the NFL’s Dallas Cowboys in Arlington, Texas.

Tyson-Paul will be scheduled for eight, two-minute rounds and with both required to wear 14-ounce gloves. Men’s heavyweight contests are typically fought as three-minute rounds and with ten-ounce gloves.

All parties involved were on board to move forward under these terms.

“Mike Tyson and Jake Paul signed on to fight each other with the desire to do so in a sanctioned professional fight that would have a definitive outcome,” Most Valuable Promotions (MVP) co-founder Nakisa Bidarian noted in a provided statement. “Over the past six weeks MVP has worked with its partners to satisfy the requirements of the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulations (TDLR) to sanction Paul Vs Tyson.

“We are grateful that we have gotten to this point.”

Tyson (50-6, 44 knockouts) will turn 58 on June 30, twenty days before the show. The Hall of Fame former undisputed heavyweight champion has not participated in a sanctioned bout since June 2005. His last pro win came in February 2003. Paul (9-1, 6 KOs) was six years old at the time.

A 31-year age gap exists in the now-sanctioned pro contest. It comes with the blessing of the TDLR, who last fall suspended Keyshawn Davis for six months when he tested positive for marijuana.

Texas is among the 26 U.S. states that has yet to legalize the recreational drug.

Paul turned pro in January 2020, as the co-feature of a DAZN show during Super Bowl week in Miami, Florida. His second bout took place as the co-feature of Tyson’s November 2020 exhibition bout versus Roy Jones Jr. Paul knocked out former NBA star and pro boxing debutant Nate Robinson inside of two rounds.

Eight straight headliners have followed for the social media influencer and aspiring cruiserweight. Three of the last four have come versus established pro boxers. Thar run includes his lone career defeat. Paul dropped an eight-round split decision to Tommy Fury (10-0, 4 KOs) last February in Diriyah, Saudi Arabia.

A brief return to MMA retreads followed, as Paul outpointed Nate Diaz last August in Dallas, Texas. The bout marked his first ten-round contest. Each of his past two starts were scheduled four eight, and versus fringe but more experienced boxers. Paul ended both inside of one round, including his quick hit of Ryan Bourland on March 2 in San Juan, Puerto Rico.

Tyson-Paul was announced five days later.

Little details were provided in the press release, which focused more on Netflix’s first foray into boxing. Nor was any clarification provided on April 16, when the Katie Taylor-Amanda Serrano rematch was confirmed as the co-feature.

News of Taylor-Serrano II was widely celebrated. However, some also took note of Serrano’s compromise to make the desired rematch.

Serrano (46-2-1, 30 KOs) has led the charge for women’s championship bouts to come under the same terms as men’s contests. She even vacated the WBC title in protest over the sanctioning body’s refusal to evolve on the subject.

However, a one-time exception was made given the hard stance taken by Ireland’s Taylor (23-1, 6 KOs).

Serrano acknowledged that Taylor had the right to stick to ten, two-minute rounds as the defending Ring and undisputed 140-pound champion. Their epic April 2022 clash was fought at lightweight in front of a vibrant crowd at Madison Square Garden in New York City. Taylor retained her Ring and undisputed 135-pound championship via split decision.

Serrano returned to featherweight, where she fully unified all the major titles and won The Ring championship. She then began a campaign for women to fight all championship bouts over 12, three-minute rounds.

Taylor has since vacated two lightweight belts, with two more likely to follow. She has fought for the Ring and undisputed 140-pound championship for her last two fights. Both came versus Chantelle Cameron in Dublin, Ireland. Taylor lost the first fight for her lone career defeat but returned the favor to the unbeaten Cameron, whom she dethroned last November.

“MVP has championed fighter choice since its inception,” noted Bidarian, in attempting to justify the terms for both contests. “Paul vs Tyson and Taylor vs Serrano 2 will both be contested with [two-minute] rounds and each mega-fight will have its winner.

“Thank you to the TDLR and Holden Boxing for their efforts throughout this process to date and we look forward to working closely with them as we approach fight night.”

Tyson was elected into the International Boxing Hall of Fame in December 2010, his first year of eligibility. His enshrinement came in June 2011, six years since his June 2005 knockout defeat to Kevin McBride.

Jake Donovan is a senior writer for The Ring and vice president of the Boxing Writers Association of America.

Follow @JakeNDaBox

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