Netflix's new bet on live sports: having YouTuber Jake Paul fight Mike Tyson

• Polarizing YouTuber Jake Paul will box 57-year-old Mike Tyson on Netflix this July.
• The streaming giant has been pushing more live sports programming.

Netflix announced its next push into live sports programming with a boxing bout between two successful and scandal-ridden fighters: YouTuber Jake Paul and 57-year-old heavyweight champion Mike Tyson.

The match will stream live on July 20 from the AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas — the 80,000-seat home of the Dallas Cowboys, the streamer said.

It's Netflix's third live sporting event, following last year's Netflix Cup (a competition between Formula 1 racers and pro golfers) and The Netflix Slam (a tennis match between Rafael Nadal and Carlos Alcaraz.)

In January, Netflix inked a $5 billion, 10-year deal with the WWE to air its flagship "Raw" series beginning in 2025.

Business Insider's Peter Kafka reported at the time that Netflix had spent years insisting it didn't want to get into live sports — which changed when it entered the advertising business.

Netflix chronicled 27-year-old Paul's rise to stardom and foray into boxing in a docuseries dubbed "Untold."

Tyson appeared in the series and praised the 27-year-old's contributions to boxing. Paul also defeated former NBA player Nate Robinson on the undercard of a Tyson fight in 2020.

"He's grown significantly as a boxer over the years," Tyson said of Paul in a statement, "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."

Netflix may be bringing in a boxing event, but channels like HBO and Showtime have abandoned boxing programming. In addition to live sports, Netflix is trying out other live formats, including a stand-up starring Chris Rock and a (bug-ridden) reunion for its reality hit "Love Is Blind."