Betting on the Mike Tyson vs Jake Paul fight has been banned in several US states.
The gloves are off (well, actually they're on), as Jake "The Problem Child" Paul and Mike "Iron Mike" Tyson step into the ring at Texas' AT&T Stadium on November 15. The mouthy YouTuber and former undisputed heavyweight champion of the world were originally supposed to fight it out in July 2020, but due to a medical issue with Tyson, it was postponed.
Hype has only built thanks to the boxing match's delay, and while the typically cocky Paul has been making jibes at Tyson, the latter seems to have his eyes firmly on the prize. As Tyson has already reiterated, it's not about the money. Although he'll reportedly net in the region of $20 million, Tyson says he's here for the 'glory'.
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It's not just the fighters set to make a pretty penny, as the sporting world is throwing its dollars on bets about who will come out victorious.
The 58-year-old Tyson is taking on the 27-year-old Paul in a fight that hopes to match 1971's Joe Frazier vs Muhammad Ali being dubbed the 'Fight of the Century'. Still, some remain unconvinced, and as well as branding it a 'circus', others have called out a series of controversial rule changes that they claim don't make it a 'proper' fight.
It seems that some governing bodies also agree that the fight has been diluted, with seven US states placing a ban on bets for the fight.
According to ESPN, seven of the 38 states where sports betting is legalized have pulled the plug on the Jake Paul vs Mike Tyson fight. The site explains how New York, Pennsylvania, and Colorado are the big three who are refusing bets on the fight. In particular, the New York State Gaming Commission says it won't be taking bets due to the fight's 'non-traditional rules'.
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Colorado gambling chiefs also cited how the pair weren't both professionally ranked, while a source for Pennsylvania is quoted as saying: "Given the totality of factors, the decision was made in the best interest of the betting public not to permit wagering in Pennsylvania."
Alongside heavier gloves and a lack of headguards, the rounds are reduced to two-minute bouts instead of the traditional three minutes.
Apparently, it was Tyson's idea to go with a non-sanctioned fight. Nakisa Bidarian, the co-founder of Most Valuable Promotions alongside Paul, told ESPN: "It was [Tyson's] choice, not that Jake didn't want to do it [as a sanctioned fight]. We were bringing Mike Tyson back into the sport, and I believe that it was more meaningful as a pro fight."
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Even in the 31 states that are accepting bets, there are worries that there could be a backlash if either is seen as treating the fight as an 'exhibition' instead of a competitive boxing match.
The bets continue to pour in, and although Tyson looks impressive in his training, he's currently the underdog at +185. In those states where betting is being accepted, some are destined to make a small fortune on the sporting event of the year.