Jake Paul has claimed Mike Tyson was not his first choice opponent for their fight on Netflix this summer, suggesting Tommy Fury was approached first but turned down their offer.
Paul and Tyson will fight on 20 July and the AT&T Stadium in Texas which will be shown worldwide on the streaming service.
The meeting between the social media star-turned boxer and heavyweight legend is expected to be one of the biggest boxing events of the summer despite criticism over the 30-year age gap between the two men.
This week, Jake’s brother and current WWE star Logan has claimed he was also offered the chance to fight Tyson, rejecting the offer because he thought the 57-year-old was ‘too old and senile’.
His younger brother dismissed those comments, however. Speaking alongside streamer Adin Ross, Jake Paul went onto explain how the fight was made.
‘Yeah, which is also not true [that Logan Paul was offered the Tyson fight]. We’re the ones that brought the deal to Mike Tyson,’ he said.
‘So I don’t know why he would say that. Me and Most Valuable Promotions and my partner Nakisa struck a deal with Netflix and then went to other fighters to get them involved.’
Asked which other fighters were approached, Paul added: “It started with Tommy Fury, he wanted more money and there wasn’t more money.
‘Then we went to Mike Tyson and after like months of talking, got him to be down to fight, and so Mike Tyson wasn’t offering people deals. So I don’t know what he’s [Logan] talking about.’
Fury beat Paul in their Saudi Arabia showdown in February last year, sealing a split decision win in a fight that had been years in the making.
Fury went onto beat another star of influencer boxing in KSI later in October 2023. He revealed at the start of 2024 he had undergone hand surgery which he had been ‘putting off for years’.
In early March, the former Love Island star revealed he would be out of action ‘for a good six months’.
While Paul vs Tyson will take place this summer, there has been no final confirmation as to whether the bout will be fought under professional boxing rules or as an exhibition.
Paul’s manager and business partner however has rejected suggestions the fighters will be competing in protective headguards.
