Jake Paul beats Mike Tyson in stunt Netflix boxing match

The highly anticipated boxing match between the 58-year-old former undisputed heavyweight champion Mike Tyson and novice fighter Jake Paul27, who turned pro after finding fame as YouTube sensation, ended with the favorite Paul winning by an unsurprising unanimous decision after eight full rounds on Friday evening. More than 72,000 people attended the event at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, home of the Dallas Cowboys.

While Tyson impressed by connecting with shots in the early rounds, he was unable to score one of his signature early knockouts and showed his age as the fight progressed, looking unsteady on his feet at times. Paul ended up taking many more punches, though Tyson took them without ever looking like he was going down. The later rounds caused audible disappointment among the crowd, some of whom could be seen leaving the stadium before the decision was officially announced. Commentators, meanwhile, wondered whether Tyson had a real chance of beating a man less than half his age. In the final seconds of the eighth round, Paul bowed to Tyson.

The match was broadcast live Netflixwhich hasn’t broadcast combat sports before, rather than on cable or pay-per-view, making it an unusual fight in more ways than one. (The streamer’s real-time boxing debut was not without incident, as users complained about app freezes, poor resolution and microphone glitches.) But the irresistible novelty that drew audiences (about 120 million people streamed the event) was the spectacle of a notoriously dangerous boxer well past his prime taking on a relatively inexperienced newcomer who has nonetheless racked up some impressive wins and knockouts. Tyson received a $20 million purse for the match, while Paul received $40 million. Tickets raised $17.8 million, the largest port total once for a game outside Las Vegas.

The co-main event was the undisputed junior welterweight title rematch between Puerto Rico’s Amanda Serrano and Ireland’s Katie Taylor. In a unanimous decision booed by the crowd, questioned by the broadcast team and disputed by viewers on social media, Taylor won an action-packed 10-round fight that featured one lightning wave of devastating hits after another. Midway through, Serrano suffered a gruesome cut to her eyebrow, and Taylor was subsequently warned repeatedly by the referee for a headbutt; she was deducted one point for it. In ring interviews during and after the match, Serrano’s trainer, Jordan Maldonado, accused Taylor of dirty tactics, saying, “Katie is a beautiful person, but has an extremely large head.” The pair had previously met for a headlining bout at Madison Square Garden in 2022, billed as the biggest fight in women’s boxing history, with Taylor defeating Serrano in a similarly controversial decision.

In an undercard welterweight championship fight on Friday night, Mario Barrios and Abel Ramos battled for twelve bloody rounds that ended in a split draw, with both men scoring one knockdown and Barrios ultimately retaining his title.

Paul had been the one to propose a fight two years ago with Tyson, with whom he has a friendly relationship, and has said that it was Tyson’s idea to make it a professional bout rather than an exhibition, meaning the result will are reflected in their match. career records. After several other states refused to sanction the bout, Texas agreed, although it imposed a shorter format of eight two-minute rounds (instead of 10 to 12 three-minute rounds) and required boxers to wear 14-ounce gloves carry, heavier than standard. , to reduce the impact. The bout was postponed from its original date in July when Tyson required treatment for a stomach ulcer.

That gave the two men plenty of time to taunt each other and hype their ultimate showdown. In one face-to-face interview Days before the Texas fight, Paul declared that it would be “the greatest moment in boxing history if I put this man to sleep,” prompting Tyson to respond, “He dreams a lot.” This isn’t going to work out, young man.’ Besides the advantage of youth, Paul is two inches taller than Tyson and has an extra two inches of reach. When asked why he would win against such an enemy, Tyson joked: “Because I’m Mike Tyson.” Only then did the drama escalate Tyson hit Paul in the face during Thursday’s weigh-in, reportedly because Paul had deliberately stepped on his foot.

Throughout his short boxing career, Paul has endured boos and jeers from crowds eager to see a social media millionaire knocked out in the ring. He has taken on a role as a heel and has been nicknamed ‘The Problem Child’ in the boxing world. “Of course people want to oppose me, and that’s great for the sport of boxing,” he said at a press conference ahead of the Tyson fight.

Some promoters in the sport were particularly critical from Paul for retiring Tyson at his age and calling it unsafe and irresponsible. As the fight progressed, the phrase “He’s 58” became popular on opponent in top condition.

Paul became an internet celebrity in the 2010s along with his older brother, Logan Paul – first on the video platform Vine and then on YouTube. Known for their jokes and comedy, the pair would go on to become two of the highest-paid YouTubers, appearing on TV, releasing music and expanding into various business ventures. Jake Paul’s decision to compete as a boxer in 2018, followed by a professional debut in 2020, surprised fans and the entertainment world, with many wondering if this was just another viral gimmick. Still, Paul put some doubters to rest as he scored victories over mixed martial artists, including veterans of the Ultimate Fighting Championship circuit. Going into Friday’s fight, Paul was 10-1, with seven knockouts, and he had done that before lasted all eight rounds with Floyd Mayweather in a 2021 exhibition match with no official judges or decision. His only loss came to British boxer Tommy Fury in a 2023 split decision.

Tyson last fought in an exhibition match in 2020, pitting him against Roy Jones Jr. dueled to a shared draw. (Paul knocked out former NBA player Nate Robinson in an undercard match at that event.) However, Tyson’s showdown with Paul was his first sanctioned pro event since 2005, when he lost to Kevin McBride by technical knockout. At the time, he was 50-6, with 44 career knockouts, and declared his retirement. “I no longer have the courage to practice this sport,” he said at the time.

Nearly two decades later, “Iron Mike” revisited a match that many considered a risky, ridiculous stunt, one that may have established a new standard for boxing as the sport contends with the streaming age. Afterwards, he seemed unfazed by the loss, and when asked if it would be his last time in the ring, he said, “I don’t think so.” Tyson then joked that he could fight Logan Paul next.