マイク・タイソン、Ｊ・ポールと７月にエキシビ　ネトフリで配信へ

【ロサンゼルスＡＦＰ＝時事】ボクシング元世界ヘビー級王者のマイク・タイソン（米国）が、ユーチューバーでプロボクサーのジェイク・ポール（米国）とエキシビションマッチで対戦すると、主催者が７日に発表した。（写真は、ボクシング元世界ヘビー級王者のマイク・タイソン）
　試合は７月２０日に米テキサス州アーリントンのＡＴ＆Ｔスタジアムで行われ、米ネットフリックスで配信される。
　５７歳のタイソンは、３０歳年下のポールはボクサーとして大きく成長しているとし、「『小僧』の意志と野心が、ＧＯＡＴ（ｇｒｅａｔｅｓｔ　ｏｆ　ａｌｌ　ｔｉｍｅ、史上最高）の経験と才能にどう対抗できるか、非常に楽しみだ」とコメント。
　また、自身にとって直近の試合となるロイ・ジョーンズＪｒ（米国）氏との２０２０年のエキシビションでポールが前座を務めていたことから、「ロイ・ジョーンズとの試合で、俺が始めてやったあいつのボクシングの旅を今度は終わらせてやる」とジョークを飛ばした。
　近年では、現役を引退したり全盛期を過ぎたりした名ボクサーがネットの有名人と対戦するのがトレンドとなっている。ポールの兄ローガン（米国）はそのパイオニア的存在で、２０２１年に元世界王者のフロイド・メイウェザー・ジュニア（米国）と拳を交えている。
　しかし、ポールは直近２試合でライアン・ボーランド（米国）とアンドレ・オーガスト（米国）にＫＯ勝ちを収めるなど、通算戦績９勝１敗で兄を上回っている。【翻訳編集ＡＦＰＢＢＮｅｗｓ】
〔ＡＦＰ＝時事〕（2024/03/08-16:25）

Former heavyweight champion Mike Tyson will return to the ring to face Youtuber-turned-boxer Jake Paul in an exhibition bout screened on Netflix, organisers announced on Thursday.
Tyson, 57, and Paul will face off at the AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, the home of the NFL's Dallas Cowboys, on July 20, Netflix and Most Valuable Promotions (MVP) announced.
Tyson said in a statement he was looking forward to fighting an opponent who is 30 years his junior, insisting that he had been impressed by Paul's performances in his fledgling boxing career.
He's grown significantly as a boxer over the years, so it will be a lot of fun to see what the will and ambition of a 'kid' can do with the experience and aptitude of a GOAT, Tyson said.
Paul fought on the undercard of Tyson's last outing, an eight-round exhibition against former middleweight king Roy Jones Jr. in Los Angeles in 2020.
I started him on his boxing journey on the undercard of my fight with Roy Jones and now I plan to finish him, Tyson quipped.
The fight is the latest in what has become a popular trend in recent years, pitting internet celebrities against each other or against recognised boxers, who have already retired or are well past their prime.
Jake Paul's brother Logan Paul played a key role in pioneering the trend, even fighting against boxing icon Floyd Mayweather in 2021.
Jake Paul however has become a bigger draw, building a 9-1 record with six knockouts.
He scored back-to-back knockouts against professional boxers in his last two fights with victories over Ryan Bourland and Andre August.
Tyson, meanwhile, was regarded as one of the most ferocious heavyweight boxers in history, reigning as undisputed champion between 1987 and 1990 and winning his first belt at the age of 20 years, four months and 22 days to become the youngest heavyweight champion in history.