One individual is a YouTuber who transitioned into boxing, while the other is a boxer who hadn’t participated in a professional match for nearly two decades. Nevertheless, the matchup between Jake Paul and Mike Tyson captivated sports fans, with over 70,000 spectators at the Dallas Cowboys’ home stadium and millions streaming the event on Netflix.
The streaming service reported a record 60 million households tuned in, with a peak of 65 million concurrent viewers. They described the fight as a “mega-event,” stating it “dominated social media” and “broke records.” According to Paul, the event attracted over 120 million viewers. However, those who watched—despite Netflix’s technical difficulties—did not witness a boxing showcase, as Paul secured a unanimous decision victory after a lackluster eight rounds.
Tyson, at 58 years old, appeared to struggle, throwing only 97 punches throughout the fight and landing just 18, while Paul managed to outlast his significantly more experienced rival. With this win, Paul’s professional record improves to 11-1. While many of Tyson’s long-time fans were thrilled to see him back in the ring, others were less impressed.
Evander Holyfield, a former heavyweight champion and one of Tyson’s fiercest competitors in their prime, remarked with a wry smile that the fight “wasn’t a good one.” NBA legend Magic Johnson, who has attended many of Tyson’s previous fights, admitted he had to turn off the broadcast because it was “just sad.” “This fight tonight was not great for boxing,” Johnson commented on X. Tyson made his return to professional boxing after nearly two decades away.
Criticism also arose regarding Paul’s decision to fight an opponent nearly 30 years his senior. Tyson is not the only older adversary Paul has faced; he has previously fought UFC veterans like Tyron Woodley, Anderson Silva, and Nate Diaz, all well past their prime.
Former heavyweight Tony Bellew suggested fans should refrain from watching Paul until he competes against someone “fit, healthy, and not a grandfather,” while Olympic gold medalist Nicola Adams stated that the outcome would have been different had Tyson been in his prime. “Let’s be real, a young Mike Tyson would’ve absolutely annihilated Jake Paul tonight,” she wrote on X.
The quality of the Tyson-Paul bout was starkly contrasted by the co-main event that preceded it, where Katie Taylor and Amanda Serrano delivered an exhilarating fight, with Taylor controversially retaining her undisputed world light-welterweight champion title.
This bout is part of a growing trend of former social media personalities entering professional combat sports. What started as an amateur endeavor has evolved into a lucrative venture involving prominent sports figures. The lead-up to the fight mirrored traditional boxing promotions, featuring exchanged insults and even a slap from Tyson at the weigh-in.
However, once the fighters entered the ring, it was clear there was a significant physical disparity, with the 58-year-old Tyson unable to keep pace with Paul throughout the match. Following his victory, Paul now holds an 11-1 professional record.
“I have great respect for Mike Tyson, but he’s being given too much credit,” Terence Crawford, a world champion in four weight classes, expressed on X. “He looked terrible; to train for that long and only throw 97 punches in the entire fight is astonishing. I’m just relieved he didn’t get hurt.”
After the fight, the 27-year-old Paul claimed he extended the match for the entertainment value. “I wanted to give the fans a show, but I didn’t want to hurt someone who didn’t need to be hurt,” he stated. For some fans, this admission only reinforced their criticisms of the event. Alongside public disapproval, the fight became the subject of numerous memes on social media, with viewers joking about the poor streaming quality and the overall performance.
Looking ahead to his career, Paul mentioned to CNN before the fight that he would like to face Canelo Álvarez in the ring, and afterward, he challenged Conor McGregor for a mixed martial arts bout.
Conversely, while Tyson did not formally announce his retirement, he expressed gratitude for the experience. “This is one of those situations where you lose but still win. I’m thankful for last night. No regrets about stepping into the ring one last time,” Tyson posted on X on Saturday. “I almost died in June. I had eight blood transfusions. I lost half my…
