Former heavyweight champion Mike Tyson is eager to knock out YouTube star Jake Paul—and he plans to do it comfortably. Contrary to popular belief, this is not an exhibition fight, but it is going to be Tyson’s first Pro fight since 2005. But a 58-year-old taking on a 27-year-old in a professional boxing match is unconventional, for sure. So are the rules.

The Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation, which oversees combat sports in the state, has already made some special exceptions for the Netflix exclusive bout. One among them is shorter two-minute rounds, instead of the usual three-minute rounds (Two-minute rounds are used for amateur fights and most women’s pro fights). Tyson had said he wanted the two-minute rounds to increase the action. But one more interesting aspect is the use of heavier gloves.

The boxing gloves will weigh 14 ounces rather than the standard 10-ounce gloves typically used in sanctioned pro fights by boxers who weigh 147 pounds or more. It’s rare for the sport to see such professional boxing matches, Tela Mange, Communications Manager for the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation (TDLR), revealed. ‘Iron’ Mike recently explained why both fighters will wear 14-ounce gloves in their upcoming professional bout.

While appearing in an interview with Greta Van Susteren from Newsmax recently, ‘The Baddest Man on the Planet’ claimed the real reason behind bigger gloves is his comfort. “Well, you know, most of the gloves that are ten ounces—they don’t fit my hand properly,” Tyson told Susteren when asked about it. “And the 14-ounce, they don’t fit that well either. But they’re comfortable enough.” So how this might impact the fight?

For a puncher who relies on hand speed, much like Mike Tyson did throughout his impressive career, the extra weight can slow the pace, particularly if the fight stretches into late rounds. On the other hand, For a strategic fighter, as Jake Paul has proven to be during his 11-fight career, the heavier gloves could cause him to adjust his pacing and avoid a punch-for-punch brawl. But is safety a concern?

It’s widely believed that these changes to the rules were specifically made to give Tyson an edge over ‘The Problem Child’ and mitigate any safety issues. There seemed to be some truth to it, as shorter rounds meant Tyson would have to expend less energy while the heavier gloves could help reduce the damage while facing a fighter 31 years younger than him. But with his latest revelation, Tyson seemed to have put all those to rest. Interestingly, Jake Paul had said in his podcast, “Yep, all his [Tyson] rules. I agreed to all his rules.” 

When asked about the reason for the exceptions in the fight, TDLR’s Mange had said, “If two contestants request terms that do not represent a safety issue, and are not in violation of statute and/or rules, then we can agree to regulate the event and ensure those terms are enforced. Having heavier gloves and shorter rounds does not make the event more dangerous for either competitor.” 

Tyson has 44 knockout wins in his career. While most of them were while he was competing with 10-ounce mitts. But Tyson wore 12-ounce gloves against Roy Jones Jr. in their 2020 exhibition fight. 14-ounce gloves are typically reserved for training and sparring to limit injury. Meanwhile, the 58-year-old came up with an interesting answer when asked about the age difference between him and Paul. 

Mike Tyson tackles the ‘age’ question with brains

One of the angles critics of the fight are holding on to is the 31-year age difference between Jake Paul and Mike Tyson. Paul is 27, and Tyson is 58, as the duo prepares to get in the ring on Friday night. Susteren, who is also a lawyer, probed Tyson on the same topic during their interview, asking him about his thoughts on the matter. 

Tyson quickly came up with a question of his own for Susteren to tackle the question. “I don’t think about that,” he said. “Do you compare your age to a younger woman and think she’s superior to you just with her age?” He further asked whether a fresh-out-of-law school graduate would have better knowledge of law compared to Susteren, forcing the anchor to back off. 

That said, Mike Tyson seems to be tired of people criticizing the rules in his upcoming fight against Jake Paul at the AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas. While Tyson claims the heavier gloves are just for his comfort, only time will tell whether they make him comfortable or save him from taking damage. Do you agree with Tyson’s statement?