Mike Tyson’s controversial return to boxing ended in a one-sided defeat on Friday, with Youtuber-turned-prizefighter Jake Paul cruising to victory by unanimous decision against the heavyweight icon in Texas.
Tyson, 58, barely landed a punch during the eight-round bout at the AT&T Stadium in Arlington, with Paul winning by big margins on all three cards — 80-72, 79-73, and 79-73. But at least he survived eight rounds, and proved impossible for Paul, half his age to knock him out.
However, Jake Paul, 27, used his superior speed and movement to dominate the aging Tyson easily. In the third round, he had the former undisputed heavyweight champion in trouble after landing a flurry of punches.
Yet the younger fighter could not land the knockout blow he had promised to deliver during Thursday’s ill-tempered weigh-in, where Tyson slapped him across the face. He had promised it “time for Tyson to dieeeee“.
Tyson, however, looked every bit of his 58 years, landing only a handful of meaningful punches during the fight. The fight was watched by a live crowd of around 70,000 spectators, with an estimated millions more tuning in worldwide via the video streaming platform Netflix.
Final statistics showed Tyson connecting with just 18 of 97 punches thrown, while Paul threw 278 punches and landed 78.
Boxers React
As the final seconds of the eighth round counted down, Paul could even afford to bow in respect to Tyson before the bell sounded.
“First and foremost, Mike Tyson, it’s such an honor. Let’s give it up for Mike,” Paul said after embracing Tyson following his win.
“He’s the greatest ever to do it. He’s the GOAT; he’s a legend. I’m inspired by him, and we wouldn’t be here today without him.
“This man is an icon, and it’s just an honor to be able to fight him. He’s obviously the toughest, baddest man on the planet; it was really tough like I expected it to be.”
Tyson, meanwhile, said he was satisfied with his performance despite the one-sided nature of the defeat.
“I came to fight,” he said. “I didn’t prove nothing to anybody, only to myself… I’m just happy with what I can do.”
Tyson had fought with a brace on his right knee but said it had not impacted his performance.
“I can’t use that as an excuse. If I did, I wouldn’t be here,” he said.
Tyson, meanwhile, praised the quality of his opponent, Paul. Paul has successfully parlayed a career as a famous YouTuber and content creator into a string of lucrative boxing contests, such as Friday’s event, which streaming giant Netflix bankrolled and broadcast.
“He’s a very good fighter,” said Tyson, who refused to rule out the possibility that he might even fight again.
“I don’t know. It depends on the situation,” said Tyson. Pressed on whether Friday was his last fight, he added: “I don’t think so.”
Mind blowing Prize Money
Tyson was reportedly paid $20 million to sign up for Friday’s contest, 19 years after his last officially sanctioned professional bout, a defeat to Irish journeyman Kevin McBride in 2005.
The former heavyweight champion’s return to the ring had been greeted with dismay across the boxing world, which had dismissed Friday’s contest as a macabre circus that risked injuring the boxing icon.
Jake Paul's next opponent pic.twitter.com/HVs3UOrISx
— Amit Shah (Parody) (@Motabhai012) November 16, 2024
Those concerns deepened in May when the fight — initially set for July — was postponed after Tyson suffered a medical scare during a flight from Miami to Los Angeles. Tyson later revealed he had vomited blood caused by an “ulcer flare-up.”
However, he brushed off the concerns for his health, insisting that his critics mainly were jealous that he remained a box-office draw decades after his 1980s peak when he terrorized the heavyweight division.
Tyson tried to recall that era of dominance in his ring walk on Friday. He marched into the arena in his signature black trunks, draped in a black poncho.
Yet that was as close as Tyson came to reflecting the fighter he once was, with Paul comfortably keeping him at arm’s length throughout the contest.
All said and done, the legend walks away with $20 million. And he says, “Its party time“.
Party Time#PaulTyson pic.twitter.com/pzDPxFIR4s
— Mike Tyson (@MikeTyson) November 16, 2024
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