Mike Tyson's return to professional boxing after nearly two decades generated significant public interest ahead of his comeback fight against YouTuber-turned-boxer Jake Paul on Friday night. However, the reviews were far from favorable.
The 58-year-old former heavyweight champion's lackluster performance in a unanimous decision defeat was met with disappointment and criticism. The crowd of over 72,000 at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, booed as Tyson connected with only 18 punches over eight two-minute rounds, compared to Paul's 78 landed blows. NBA legend Earvin 'Magic' Johnson expressed his sadness, stating, 'I cut it off because I couldn't watch anymore. It's sad to see Mike Tyson like this because I went to every Tyson fight. This fight tonight was not great for boxing.'
Tyson, wearing a compression sleeve on his right knee, appeared exhausted after the first round, with his movement severely hampered. The 27-year-old Paul took advantage, landing jabs at will. Terence Crawford, a four-weight boxing champion, commented, 'I love Mike Tyson, but [commentators are] giving him too much credit. He looked like trash, to train that long and only throw 97 punches the whole fight is crazy. I'm just glad he didn't get hurt out there.'
The 31-year age gap between the fighters was the largest in history, surpassing the 24-year difference between Archie Moore and Mike DiBiase in 1963. Tyson, with a history of health issues and a 7,097-day layoff, struggled through eight rounds, his spirit willing but his body failing him. Former NFL star JJ Watt expressed his frustration, 'Mad at myself for staying awake for that. I know better.'
Audible jeers filled the $1.2bn (£951m) home of the NFL's Dallas Cowboys during the later rounds as Paul eased up on his punches, sensing Tyson's fatigue and vulnerability. Paul said, 'I wanted to give the fans a show but I didn't want to hurt somebody that didn't need to be hurt.'
The criticism extended beyond the main event. The seven-fight card marked Netflix's third foray into live sports, but technical issues plagued the event. Thousands of viewers complained about buffering problems and frozen screens, with issues persisting into Tyson's fight with Paul. The event, promoted by Paul's three-year-old Most Valuable Promotions company, was a financial success, shattering records for the largest US boxing gate outside of Las Vegas.
Despite the technical glitches, the event attracted a massive global audience, with Paul boasting, 'Over 120 million people on Netflix. We crashed the site.' However, it was a challenging showing for Netflix, whose live sports ambitions are crucial for its nascent advertising business. Netflix plans to broadcast two NFL games over Christmas and will begin streaming World Wrestling Entertainment's Raw franchise in January as part of a 10-year, $5bn deal.
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