Legendary boxer Mike Tyson has been forced to make a significant lifestyle change to legally fight Jake Paul later this summer in Texas.
On July 20, influencer-turned-boxer Jake Paul will battle a 58-year-old ‘Iron’ Mike Tyson inNetflix’s first-ever live boxing eventbut the former champ has had to give up marijuana because of where the fight is taking place.
Mike Tyson’s weed use is quite well-known, having smoked during every episode of his ‘Hotboxin’ podcast. The legendary fighter even sells his ownear-shaped ediblesthat pay homage to him biting off Evander Holyfield’s ear in 1997.
However, Tyson is being forced to give up the green, because marijuana is on the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation’s banned substances list. As a result, if he were to smoke before the match, a positive drug test would result in a fine and a 90-day suspension.
Plus, if Mike were to defeat Paul, the result would be changed from a victory to a “no contest,” something that the returning fighter doesn’t want.
“He only stopped as a means of following all of the rules,” Tyson’s publicist explained toUSA Today. “He is still a strong advocate for the medicinal benefits of cannabis for his personal well-being and others like him.”
The random drug tests only happen the day of a fight and take at least a week for results to come back, so there’s no risk of the fight not happening, but there’s another interesting wrinkle to account for.
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While bothJake and Mike want the rules changedso the clash will count on their professional records, at the moment, the bout is slated to be anexhibitionand if that policy remains, then Tyson’s decision to give up weed could be all for not.
Michael Gwilliam is Dexerto’s Deputy Entertainment Editor in the US. He expertly covers trending stories across Twitch, Kick, YouTube, TikTok, as well as Overwatch, GTA, and Smash Bros. You can contact him at: michael.gwilliam@dexerto.com
