Jake Paul vs. Mike Tyson was a professional boxing match between YouTuber-turned-professional boxer Jake Paul and former undisputed heavyweight world champion Mike Tyson. This bout has stirred up a lot of controversy and memes, with plenty of people calling out Paul for "elder abuse",[4] while others poked fun at the fight for being too dull and predictable. The bout took place on November 15, 2024, at the AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, and was streamed globally on Netflix, with 65 million people watching the event concurrently.[5][6] Paul defeated Tyson via unanimous decision.[3]
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| Date | November 15, 2024 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Venue | AT&T Stadium, Arlington, Texas, U.S. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Tale of the tape | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Result | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Paul defeated Tyson via Unanimous Decision[3] (80–72 Paul, 79–73 Paul, and 79–73 Paul) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Originally, the bout was scheduled to take place on July 20 but was postponed due to Tyson suffering an ulcer flare-up aboard a plane.[7]
Background
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On November 3, 2023, it was reported that Netflix was considering streaming a boxing match involving Jake Paul on their service.[8]
On March 7, 2024, Netflix and Most Valuable Promotions announced that they were partnering to host an event headlined by Paul facing former undisputed heavyweight world champion Mike Tyson on July 20 at the AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas.[5] On April 2, Tyson confirmed at the time the bout was sanctioned as an exhibition bout.[9] On April 10, Paul confirmed that they would be submitting a request to the Texas Combative Sports Program for the bout to be sanctioned as professional.[10] On April 29, the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulations confirmed it approved the fighters' request and that the bout would be a sanctioned, professional fight.[11]
On May 31, Netflix announced that the event had been postponed due to Tyson suffering a ulcer flare up while boarding a plane.[12] Paul took to X (formerly known as Twitter) to call out his rival and fellow YouTuber-turned-professional boxer KSI to replace Tyson.[13] KSI responded and declined the offer stating he has a bout scheduled in August.[14] On June 7, Netflix confirmed the event was rescheduled to November 15.[15]
Pre-fight press conferences
Three pre-fight press conferences were held in the following cities:
- May 13 – Apollo Theater, Manhattan, New York, U.S.[16]
- August 18 – Javits Center, New York City, U.S.[17]
- November 13 – Toyota Music Factory, Irving, Texas, U.S.[18]
During the final press conference, Tyson slapped Paul after Paul stepped on his toe during their face off.[18]
Countdown: Paul vs. Tyson
On October 24, Netflix announced an original documentary series titled Countdown: Paul vs. Tyson would premier its first two episodes on November 7 and the final episode on November 12.[19] The series debuted at number 4 on Netflix's Global Top 10, with 4.4 million viewers.[20] Each episode was narrated by Ice-T.[21]
Undercard
On April 16, Netflix announced that the long-awaited rematch between Katie Taylor and Amanda Serrano for the WBA, WBC, IBF, WBO, and The Ring lightweight titles would be the co-feature bout.[22] On May 21, Netflix announced that Indian professional boxer Neeraj Goyat would face Brazilian internet personality Whindersson Nunes.[23] On September 16, a bout between Mario Barrios and Abel Ramos for the WBC welterweight championship was announced.[24]
Originally, prior to postponing of the event, Aston Sylve was scheduled to face Floyd Schofield but was not rescheduled after Sylve lost via knockout on the Jake Paul vs. Mike Perry event.[25][26] Former mixed martial artist Darren Till was originally scheduled to face former WBC middleweight boxing champion Julio César Chávez Jr.[27]
Fight card
| Weight Class | vs. | Method | Round | Time | Notes | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Main Card (Netflix) | |||||||
| Heavyweight | Jake Paul | def. | Mike Tyson | UD | 8 | Note 1 | |
| Lightweight | Katie Taylor (c) | def. | Amanda Serrano | UD | 10 | Note 2 | |
| Welterweight | Mario Barrios (c) | vs. | Abel Ramos | SD | 12 | Note 3 | |
| Super middleweight | Neeraj Goyat | def. | Whindersson Nunes | UD | 6 | ||
| Preliminary Card (YouTube) | |||||||
| Super middleweight | Shadasia Green | def. | Melinda Watpool | SD | 10 | ||
| Lightweight | Lucas Bahdi | def. | Armando Casamonica | MD | 10 | ||
| Featherweight | Bruce Carrington | def. | Dana Coolwell | UD | 8 | ||
^Note 1 2-minute rounds with 14-ounce (400 g) gloves.
^Note 2 For WBA, WBC, IBF, WBO, and The Ring lightweight titles.
^Note 3 For the WBC welterweight title.
Fight details
Ruleset and sanctioning
The bout between Paul and Tyson was sanctioned as a professional bout by the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulations, with the ruleset being altered slightly.[11] The bout was 8x2 minute rounds with 14-ounce gloves. Knockouts and knockdowns were permitted, and no headgear was present.[28]
The fight
Paul walked out first to the song "In the Air Tonight" by Phil Collins alongside his brother Logan Paul in a custom Chevy Dually truck.[29] Tyson then walked out to "Murdergram" by Murder Inc.. After both men were in the ring, The Star-Spangled Banner was sung by Tori Kelly.
In the first round, both fighters entered in an orthodox stance, both throwing punches at each other. However, by the second round, Tyson seemed to have already been tired out and had lost momentum, which is a pattern that would continue throughout the fight. At the end of the last round, Paul bowed to Tyson, showing his respect and the two fighters embraced.[30]
Paul won via unanimous decision. After the bout, Tyson indicated that he will not retire after this bout and proceeded to call out Paul's brother Logan, which Logan responded by saying "I'd kill you, Mike" to Tyson.[31]
| Laurence Cole | David Iacobucci | Jesse Reyes | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Paul | Tyson | Paul | Tyson | Paul | Tyson |
| 79 | 73 | 80 | 72 | 79 | 73 |
Reported purses
It was reported that Paul's expected purse was $40 million, and Tyson's was $20 million.[32] Taylor is projected to earn $6.1 million while Serrano claimed her purse was much larger.[33]
Controversies
Paul–Tyson age difference
Many criticized Paul for fighting Tyson due to the significant age difference. The 31-year age difference between Tyson and Paul is the largest age difference in professional boxing history.[34] Former UFC Middleweight Champion Sean Strickland criticized Paul on X, stating, "this should be illegal", with current Middleweight Champion Dricus du Plessis agreeing.[35][36] Fellow YouTuber-turned-boxer KSI described the bout on Instagram as "elderly abuse".[4]
Altercation at weigh-in
During the weigh-in the day prior to the match, Paul stepped on Tyson's toes; Tyson has been on record stating he has foot problems due to health issues including sciatica, and has an aversion to people stepping on them.[37][38] Tyson slapped Paul across the face, afterwards telling the New York Post "I was in my socks and he had on shoes. He stepped on my toe because he is a fucking asshole. I wanted to think it happened by accident. But now I think it may have happened on purpose," adding "I was in a lot of pain. I had to reciprocate."[39] In social media posts, some speculated that Tyson's slap was in response to Paul making a racist gesture by climbing on stage and walking up to Tyson on all fours, imitating the knuckle-walking done by gorillas and chimpanzees.[40][37] African Americans have historically been dehumanized with comparisons to non-human primates, including in sports.[41][42]
Netflix technical issues
Netflix has been criticized for widespread technical difficulties that plagued the event's livestream.[43] Many viewers tuning in were unable to watch the fight due to buffering. Many microphones and earpieces also experienced difficulties, with interviewee Evander Holyfield struggling to hear the host of the show because of issues with his earpiece.[6] According to Downdetector, around 90,000 viewers reported outages in the hour leading up to the fight.[3]
Post-fight press conference
Eddie Hearn was frustrated at Most Valuable Promotions after they originally prevented him from appearing alongside Katie Taylor in the post-fight press conference.[44]
The fake script
Prior to the match, a tweet gained significant traction on Twitter, featuring a script that predicted Jake Paul would defeat Mike Tyson by knockout in the fifth round. Following the conclusion of the actual fight, this script was discredited and proven to be false, as the outcome differed markedly from the prediction made in the script.[45]
Taylor vs. Serrano II
Many news outlets, including Irish ones, considered Katie Taylor's unanimous decision victory over Amanda Serrano as controversial, mostly disagreeing with the 95-94 scores in favor of Taylor. those who called the fight controversial included The Irish Times.[46]
References
- ^ "BoxRec: Paul Young". BoxRec. Retrieved April 25, 2023.
- ^ "BoxRec: Mike Tyson". BoxRec.
- ^ a b c De la Fuente, Homero (November 15, 2024). "Jake Paul defeats Mike Tyson via unanimous decision in highly anticipated fight". CNN.
- ^ a b Gorrie, Jonathan (November 16, 2024). "KSI slams Jake Paul as boxing rival reacts to 'disgusting' Mike Tyson fight". The Standard.
- ^ a b Otterson, Joe (March 7, 2024). "Jake Paul to Fight Mike Tyson in Live Netflix Boxing Event". Variety.
- ^ a b Gurman,Bloomberg, Sohee Kim,Ben Westcott,Mark. "Netflix's Tyson-Paul boxing bout gets 65 million viewers at peak". Fortune. Retrieved November 17, 2024.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) - ^ Iskenderov, Parviz (May 31, 2024). "Mike Tyson vs Paul Young fight in July canceled, new date to be set". FIGHTMAG.
- ^ Toonkel, Jessica (November 3, 2023). "Netflix Explores Streaming Live Boxing Match". The Wall Street Journal.
- ^ Davies, Harry (April 3, 2024). "Mike Tyson announces major rule for Jake Paul fight - and fans are not happy". The Mirror. Retrieved April 3, 2024.
- ^ "Jake Paul: Mike Tyson is 'underestimating me'". Fox News. April 10, 2024. Event occurs at 4:45. Retrieved April 10, 2024.
- ^ a b "Tyson, Jake Paul fight sanctioned as professional bout ... despite 31-year age difference". Fox Sports. April 29, 2024.
- ^ Spangler, Todd (May 31, 2024). "Mike Tyson and Jake Paul's Netflix Livestreamed Boxing Match Postponed Due to Tyson Ulcer Flare-Up". Variety.
- ^ Neschis, Matthew (June 1, 2024). "Jake Paul calls out KSI for July 20 fight as new Mike Tyson plan emerges". Daily Express.
- ^ Actualizado (June 1, 2024). "KSI responds to Jake Paul's challenge after Mike Tyson's health scare". Marca.
- ^ Spangler, Todd (June 7, 2024). "Jake Paul vs. Mike Tyson Fight on Netflix Rescheduled for November". Variety.
- ^ Reyes, Lorenzo (May 13, 2024). "Mike Tyson, Jake Paul meet face to face in New York ahead of July 20 boxing match in Texas". USA Today.
- ^ "Mike Tyson Messing w/ Jake Paul at Press Conference ... Shoves Him, Giggles!!!". TMZ. August 18, 2024.
- ^ a b Sajad, Kal (November 15, 2024). "Tyson slaps Paul during final face-off". BBC Sports.
- ^ Wells, Adam (October 24, 2024). "Video: Mike Tyson vs. Jake Paul 'Countdown' Show Trailer Drops Ahead of Netflix Fight". Bleacher Report.
- ^ "Top 10 Week of Nov. 4: 'Countdown: Paul vs. Tyson' Enters the Ring; 'Meet Me Next Christmas' Unwraps #1". Netflix. November 12, 2024.
- ^ Richards, Amanda (November 4, 2024). "Countdown: Paul vs. Tyson Documentary Goes Behind-the-Scenes to Training Camp". TUDUM by Netflix.
- ^ Raimondi, Marc (April 16, 2024). "Katie Taylor will face Amanda Serrano in July 20 rematch". ESPN.
- ^ Hale, Andreas (May 21, 2024). "Neeraj Goyat-Whindersson Nunes on Jake Paul-Mike Tyson undercard". ESPN.
- ^ Iskenderov, Parviz (September 16, 2024). "Mario Barrios vs Abel Ramos joins Paul-Tyson undercard". FIGHTMAG.
- ^ "Netflix and MVP Announce H2O Sylve vs. Floyd "Kid Austin" Schofield & Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. vs Darren Till". Sports Video Group. May 17, 2024.
- ^ Sardar, Samrat (July 21, 2024). ""May God Restore Him": Caleb Plant, Floyd Schofield, and Others Stunned as Ashton 'H2O' Sylve Gets Flatlined on Paul vs. Perry Undercard". Essentially Sports.
- ^ "MMA's Till to make boxing debut vs. Chavez". ESPN.com. May 15, 2024. Retrieved May 15, 2024.
- ^ Flores, Elizabeth (November 12, 2024). "Mike Tyson vs. Jake Paul fight rules, sanction, full boxing card". USA Today.
- ^ Gittins, William (November 16, 2024). "Jake%20Paul%20knows%20how%20to,night%20fight%20against%20Mike%20Tyson. "Surprising cost of the customized Chevy Dually truck used by Jake Paul in Mike Tyson fight entrance". AS.
- ^ Peter, Josh; Freeman, Mike; Tucker, Heather; L. Moore, Casey (November 15, 2024). "Mike Tyson vs. Jake Paul results, highlights: Round-by-round analysis for Netflix fight". USA Today.
- ^ Rathborn, Jack (November 16, 2024). "Mike Tyson refuses to retire after Jake Paul loss and calls out next opponent". The Independent.
- ^ Sundby, Alex (November 16, 2024). "Jake Paul wins fight against Mike Tyson by unanimous decision - CBS News". www.cbsnews.com. Retrieved November 16, 2024.
- ^ Parkinson, Nick (November 16, 2024). "Taylor and Serrano ends in controversy but was still a triumph for women's boxing". ESPN.
- ^ Hale, Andreas (April 29, 2024). "Tyson vs. Paul to be sanctioned professional fight". ESPN.com. Retrieved November 15, 2024.
- ^ Hannoun, Farah (November 15, 2024). "Sean Strickland rips 'clown' Jake Paul for fighting Mike Tyson: 'This should be illegal'". MMA Junkie.
- ^ "Dricus du Plessis seconds Sean Strickland's criticism of Jake Paul". Sportskeeda. Retrieved November 22, 2024.
- ^ a b Spence, Niamh (November 15, 2024). "Fans spot 'real reason' why Mike Tyson savagely slapped Jake Paul the night before fight". UNILAD. Retrieved November 16, 2024.
- ^ Sharma, Nitin (September 22, 2022). "Mike Tyson on why he used a wheelchair: Suffering from Sciatica, a nerve condition". The Indian Express. Retrieved November 16, 2024.
Former heavyweight champion Mike Tyson was seen on a wheelchair at Miami airport recently; says when nerve-impacting condition flares up he can't even talk
- ^ Kaplan, Michael. "Here's why Mike Tyson slapped 'f–king a–hole' Jake Paul in insane weigh-in moment". New York Post. No. Nov. 14, 2024. Retrieved November 16, 2024.
- ^ Rosvoglou, Chris (November 15, 2024). "Jake Paul Accused Of Committing 'Racist' Gesture Towards Mike Tyson". The Spun. Retrieved November 16, 2024.
- ^ Miller, Rann (November 15, 2024). ""Jake Paul vs. Mike Tyson" perpetuates the long history of profiting from race conflicts in the ring". The Salon. Retrieved November 16, 2024.
The appeal preys on the desire to reclaim what is perceived to be taken - no matter what the cost
- ^ Hund, Prof. Wulf D.; Mills, Prof. Charles W. (February 29, 2016). "Comparing Black People to Monkeys has a Long, Dark Simian History". HuffPost. Retrieved November 16, 2024.
- ^ Williams, James H. "Mike Tyson vs. Jake Paul: Netflix suffers significant issues on massive fight night". USA TODAY. Retrieved November 16, 2024.
- ^ Sam (November 16, 2024). "Eddie Hearn's angry reaction after Jake Paul's MVP reps refused to let him join Katie Taylor at the post-fight press conference". Marca.
- ^ Evans, James (November 16, 2024). "Mike Tyson vs Jake Paul 'script' debunked after YouTuber scores decision victory". The Mirror. Retrieved November 23, 2024.
{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ^ Malley, Tom (November 21, 2024). "Amanda Serrano breaks silence after controversial Katie Taylor loss". Irish Star.
{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)