Jake Paul and Mike Tyson delivered fight cancellation warning over worst-case scenario

The promoters of the glamor bout between Jake Paul and Mike Tyson have been served with a reminder from the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulations that "Iron Mike" will undergo tests before he can compete. The Netflix-backed event has been met with controversy since its announcement, not least due to the 30-year age gap between the opponents.

The discourse over the legitimacy of the contest itself as a spectacle has been a common talking point within the boxing community in recent times. While major figures in the sport, such as Tyson Fury and Lennox Lewis, have welcomed the fight, naysayers such as Carl Froch and Derek Chisora have been vocal in their criticisms.

The main gripe of the detractors comes from the fact that Tyson, who officially retired back in 2005, will be 58 by the time he steps into the ring at ATandT Stadium, Texas to face his 27-year-old opponent this July. Moreover, the man once known as "Kid Dynamite" is coming up against a fighter who is just ten bouts into a professional career.

As a result of these factors, discussions have swirled among fans and stars of the sport over whether the bout will actually be classified as a professional bout. Either way, the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulations has now confirmed that Tyson must submit an electroencephalogram (EEG) and an electrocardiogram (EKG) exam before he can compete as he is over the age of 36.

Essentially, this test will determine whether the former unified heavyweight world champion has any brain or heart disorders heading into the fight. Speaking to USA Today Sports, TDLR communications manager Tela Mange, said: "We can also request additional testing if we think it's appropriate."

To complicate matters further, Mange claimed that corresondence over plans for the July 20 spectacle has not been received from the event's promoters. Via an email sent to the report, the TDLR representative said: "He have not received any proposed (fight) cards and thus have no details about what they are planning. All bouts are subject to review and approval by (the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation)."

"It's pretty common for a promoter to request a date several months out but not immediately provide the proposed card," she continued, with final fight cards needing to be submitted within 21 days of the event. "They want to be sure that they've secured the date with us, since we'll have to make sure we have appropriate staffing available for any event."

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When it comes to the exact nature of the Paul-Tyson bout in terms of it being a professional fight, Mange added: "The promoter will need to submit proposed cards before we determine whether a particular contest would be considered as an exhibition or a professional fight, or how a proposed exhibition might be structured.''

Addressing whether what the fight will be classified as in the history books, Tyson gave a coy response as he appeared to admitted that it would be an exhibition in name, albeit not neccessarily in nature. He explained: "This is called an exhibition, but if you look up exhibition, you will not see any of the laws that we are fighting under, this is a fight."

"I don't think he's faster than me. I've seen a YouTube of him at 16 doing weird dances, that's not the guy I'm going to be fighting," he continued, as he discussed his opponent's credentials. "This guy's gonna come, he's gonna try and hurt me which I'm accustomed to and he's gonna be greatly mistaken."

As for adversary Paul, he appeared more confident that the bout will be a professional fight, as he told Fox News he said: "It's so annoying that people on the Internet will believe anything they see or hear. There's been so much misinformation. Mike and I want this to be a pro fight, full face shots. We're submitting that request to the commission. It's an all-out war."