The buzz around the highly anticipated bout between boxing legend Mike Tyson and social media star turned-boxer Jake Paul is building as we speak. Slated to take place at the iconic AT&T Stadium in Dallas on November 15, this showdown will stream for free on Netflix.
The bout has generated global interest, with fight fans across generations, wanting to catch the return of Tyson. Those include connoisseurs of the Sweet Science from the 1980s and 1990s, when Iron Mike ruled the ring.
Of course, time zones exist and the live stream of the bout will hit viewers in various times of the day, and the night. You better get the time spot on for your part of the world since it’s Tyson we are talking about. He can finish the bout within a minute even.
No, we are not trying to jinx the fight into an early finish. But hey, Tyson is after all, Tyson.
So, here are the key details of the fight, including the start time of the event in 20+ countries across the world.
Start time in 20+ countries
The final press conference of the event takes place on Wednesday, November 13, at 7 p.m. Eastern time, and 4 p.m. Pacific time. Here are the timings of the bouts, scheduled for November 15:
| Country (Time Zone) | Prelims | Main Card |
| USA (ET) | 5:30 PM | 8:00 PM |
| Canada (ET) | 5:30 PM | 8:00 PM |
| Mexico (CT) | 4:30 PM | 7:00 PM |
| Brazil (BRT) | 7:30 PM | 10:00 PM |
| Puerto Rico (AST) | 5:30 PM | 8:00 PM |
| Argentina (ART) | 7:30 PM | 10:00 PM |
| UK (GMT) | 10:30 PM | 1:00 AM (Nov 16) |
| Ireland (GMT) | 10:30 PM | 1:00 AM (Nov 16) |
| France (CET) | 11:30 PM | 2:00 AM (Nov 16) |
| Italy (CET) | 11:30 PM | 2:00 AM (Nov 16) |
| Spain (CET) | 11:30 PM | 2:00 AM (Nov 16) |
| Russia (MSK) | 1:30 AM (Nov 16) | 4:00 AM (Nov 16) |
| China (CST) | 6:30 AM (Nov 16) | 9:00 AM (Nov 16) |
| Japan (JST) | 7:30 AM (Nov 16) | 10:00 AM (Nov 16) |
| India (IST) | 4:00 AM (Nov 16) | 6:30 AM (Nov 16) |
| UAE (GST) | 9:30 PM | 12:00 AM (Nov 16) |
| Saudi Arabia (AST) | 9:30 PM | 12:00 AM (Nov 16) |
| South Africa (SAST) | 11:30 PM | 2:00 AM (Nov 16) |
| Australia (AEDT) | 9:30 AM (Nov 16) | 12:00 PM (Nov 16) |
| New Zealand (NZDT) | 11:30 AM (Nov 16) | 2:00 PM (Nov 16) |
A lot of celebrity fights are often exhibitions. So while there are rules, they are not given much gravitas because nobody really wins or loses. This is not one of those fights. This goes on the ledger for good. So what are the rules of engagement?
How long are the rounds for this fight?
Even though the fight is being called a “professional” matchup, it’s following a different format than the usual three-minute rounds for heavyweights. Each round will be just two minutes long.
This system mirrors that of Tyson’s 2020 fight with Roy Jones Jr. Apparently, Tyson himself pushed for the shorter rounds — not because of his age, though. He said it’s all about keeping the pace high.
“I wanted shorter rounds so there’d be more action,” Tyson explained. “With only two minutes, we’ll be fighting non-stop.”
Knockouts
One of the strangest rules in Tyson’s fight with Jones Jr. was the no-knockout rule, which pretty much guaranteed there’d be no explosive action. And, as expected, it ended in a slow, uneventful draw.
But come Friday night, knockouts are back on the menu. Both Tyson and Paul have posted clips of their sparring sessions where they’re dropping their partners, hinting they’re swinging for the fences.
The big question is: does Tyson still have that famous knockout power? And will Paul actually dare to try and knock out a legend?
Gloves
Typically, heavyweight fighters would use 10 oz. gloves. However, for reasons unknown, Tyson and Paul would be wearing 14oz gloves, which will have extra padding. These gloves are usually worn for training and sparring, not real fights.
Even in Tyson’s fight with Roy Jones Jr, they used 12oz gloves. So this switch to 14oz adds an additional twist. It’s probably a move to ensure safety. But it could prevent knockouts in the night.
So then scoring would matter a lot, won’t it? Here is how the bout would be scored.
Scoring
If Tyson and Paul make it all the way to the final bell, the outcome will be decided by the three ringside judges. Each judge will score each round 10-9 in favor of one fighter unless there’s a knockdown. In that case, the fighter who hits the canvas loses a point.
If a round is too close to call, judges can go with a 10-10 score. After the eight rounds, they’ll add up the scores to determine the winner.
So, who are you betting your money on?
