The Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation has issued a 24-day suspension for boxers Mike Tyson and Jake Paul following their controversial fight in Arlington last Saturday. The brief ban applies to both Tyson, the 58-year-old former heavyweight champion, and Paul, the 27-year-old YouTuber-turned-boxer, after their eight-round match, which ended with Paul’s unanimous victory.
The fight, streamed live on Netflix, attracted over 100 million viewers and was Tyson’s first sanctioned match since 2005. However, many commentators found the bout lacking in excitement. According to the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation, fighters are required to take a three-day break after each round.
In addition to Tyson and Paul, two other competitors, Amanda Serrano and Katie Taylor, have received longer 45-day suspensions following their full-distance battle. Taylor won the fight by unanimous decision, but Serrano initially accused Taylor of headbutting her during the match, causing a cut on her forehead. However, she later retracted her statement, offering congratulations to Taylor.
Serrano posted on X, “Congratulations to @KatieTaylor in her decision win. Tempers are flared when you’re in the heat of battle & you say things you shouldn’t say. I’m not one to ever disrespect an opponent & these were never my intentions to Katie. … In no way should I ever have said she did it purposely. Whenever our teams can agree on a Trilogy I’ll be ready.”
Paul, who had promised a knockout before the fight, apologized to his fans after the match, acknowledging that he held back as Tyson seemed fatigued. “After I’d seen him tired, I didn’t want to put too much hurt on him, but I wanted the fans to get a good experience,” Paul explained. “I’m sorry I didn’t knock him out.”
