Mark Calo-oy Selected as Referee for the Mike Tyson vs. Jake Paul Match
ARLINGTON, Texas – Mark Calo-oy, a seasoned referee from Texas, has been appointed to officiate the boxing match between Mike Tyson and Jake Paul, as revealed in an official document obtained by YSL News Sports.
Calo-oy is already acquainted with Paul, having refereed his fight against mixed martial arts star Nate Diaz on August 5, 2023, in Dallas.
In that anticipated bout, Paul, who transitioned from YouTube to boxing, secured a victory by unanimous decision after ten rounds.
The fight between Tyson, who is 58, and Paul, aged 27, is scheduled for Friday at AT&T Stadium and will be broadcast live on Netflix. Calo-oy is experienced in managing high-profile events in front of large crowds in Texas.
He previously officiated the championship match between Canelo Alvarez and Billy Joe Saunders in 2021 at AT&T Stadium, attended by 73,126 spectators. Alvarez emerged victorious when Saunders did not return for the ninth round, making it the largest indoor boxing crowd in U.S. history.
Damon Zavala, Vice President of the Association of Ringside Physicians, emphasized the crucial role of the referee, particularly given Tyson’s age. His comments were made prior to the announcement of Calo-oy as the selected referee.
“Referees have different styles and ways of controlling dynamics in the ring, especially concerning who leads the situation,” said Zavala, a trained internist. “Some may get too caught up in the atmosphere and might be slow to act when necessary.”
Calo-oy’s track record indicates he is willing to stop fights when needed. Out of the 48 matches he has officiated this year, he halted 11, as recorded by BoxRec, the official boxing registry.
Since starting his refereeing career in 2003, Calo-oy has overseen 445 fights, including more than 20 world title matches, according to BoxRec.
Tyson, a former heavyweight champion, has not participated in a sanctioned professional fight since 2005. He did, however, compete against Roy Jones Jr. in an exhibition match in 2020, which ended in a split draw based on celebrity judges’ scores.
Judging the upcoming Tyson-Paul fight will be David Iacobucci from Dallas, Laurence Cole from Dallas, and Jesse Reyes from Plano.
