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Jake Paul Defeats Mike Tyson in Netflix’s Live Boxing Debut, But Glitches and Tyson’s Bare Butt Steal the Spotlight
Nov
In a highly anticipated — and highly chaotic — event, Jake Paul defeated boxing legend Mike Tyson by unanimous decision during Netflix’s first-ever live boxing broadcast. Held at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, the match featured eight two-minute rounds and marked Tyson’s return to officially sanctioned professional boxing nearly 20 years after his last bout. The fight, however, was overshadowed by technical difficulties and one unexpected wardrobe mishap from Tyson.
Paul’s Victory
Despite the 31-year age gap between the two fighters, Paul, 27, managed to outlast Tyson, 58, in a lackluster fight. The judges scored the match 80-72, 79-73, and 79-73, all in Paul’s favor. Tyson, whose last pro match was in 2005, initially predicted a “vicious win” during a pre-fight interview but fell short of delivering a memorable comeback.
Paul, on the other hand, made good on his August boast that he would “make $40 million and knock out a legend,” though the knockout didn’t happen. Tyson’s payday, rumored to be around $20 million, remains unconfirmed by the boxer or the event’s promoters.
Pre-Fight Drama
The tension between the two fighters ramped up during Thursday’s weigh-in, when Tyson slapped Paul after the younger fighter reportedly stepped on his foot. Paul responded by declaring, “It’s personal now. He must die!”
Adding to the surreal nature of the event, Tyson’s son, Amir, interviewed his father before the match. As Tyson predicted his victory, cameras unexpectedly revealed his nearly bare backside, providing the internet with a viral moment that had little to do with boxing.
Glitches Overshadow the Fight
Netflix’s attempt to expand into live sports broadcasting hit a major snag as technical issues plagued the event. Subpar streaming quality, buffering, and outages frustrated viewers, with Downdetector logging hundreds of thousands of complaints during the fight. These glitches mirrored similar problems the streamer faced during its ill-fated Love Is Blind reunion broadcast and last year’s Netflix Cup.
Social media buzz surrounding the event was dominated by complaints about Netflix’s inability to deliver a reliable livestream. Despite the setbacks, Netflix used the fight as a promotional vehicle, debuting a new trailer for the final season of Cobra Kai and featuring appearances by Ralph Macchio, William Zabka, and Squid Game guards to hype the show’s upcoming second season.
The Spectacle
The fight wasn’t without theatrics. Paul entered the arena in a green car blasting Phil Collins’ In the Air Tonight, a nod to Tyson’s memorable scene in The Hangover. Tyson countered with Murdergram by Ja Rule, Jay-Z, and DMX.
The Dallas Cowboys cheerleaders, stars of Netflix’s America’s Sweethearts documentary series, opened the event with a performance. Despite the chaos, the spectacle highlighted Netflix’s ambitions to make live sports a cornerstone of its future content.
What’s Next for Netflix and Paul?
While the event drew attention for all the wrong reasons, Netflix’s commitment to live sports remains firm, with plans to broadcast two NFL Christmas Day games and take over WWE’s Raw in January. For Paul, the victory over a boxing icon bolsters his career as a fighter and showman, though it may not win over boxing purists.
As for Tyson, his brief return to the ring may be remembered less for his performance and more for his exposed rear and the chaotic circus that surrounded the fight.
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