Mike Tyson vs. Jake Paul fight disappoints viewers: “Sad”, “It was not good” and “Trash”

(CNN)- A YouTuber turned boxer. The other is a boxer who has not fought professionally for nearly 20 years. And yet, the combination of Jake Paul and Mike Tyson mesmerized the sports public when they stepped into the ring in front of more than 70,000 fans at the home of the Dallas Cowboys, with millions tuning in to watch the fight on Netflix.

The streaming platform announced a record 60 million households, reaching a peak of 65 million simultaneous streams. He called the bout a “mega event” and said it “dominated social media” and “broke records.” According to Paul, the program was watched by more than 120 million people.

Those who watched it, even despite the technical problems experienced by Netflix, were treated to a boxing masterclass, as Paul ultimately won by unanimous decision after eight frustrating rounds.

Tyson made himself look exactly 58 years old, throwing only 97 punches in the entire fight and landing 18 of them, while Paul was athletic enough to overpower his much more experienced opponent. With the win, Paul went 11–1 in his professional career.

Tyson’s return to the ring delighted many of his longtime fans, but disappointed others as well.

Former world heavyweight champion and one of Tyson’s fiercest rivals during his heyday, Evander Holyfield, said fight “It wasn’t good” with a sad smile.

NBA legend Magic Johnson, who said he has attended several of Tyson’s fights in the past, said he had to stop the fight because it was “too sad”.

“This fight tonight was not good for boxing,” Johnson wrote in,

Others were more critical of Paul for deciding to fight an opponent nearly 30 years his senior.

Tyson isn’t the first overage opponent the former YouTuber has faced, having already faced the likes of UFC veterans Tyron Woodley, Anderson Silva and Nate Diaz, all of whom are past their fighting prime.

Former heavyweight Tony Bellew said that fans should not come to see Paul unless he fights “somebody who is fit, healthy and not a grandfather”, while Olympic gold medal boxer Nicola Adams said that if Had Tyson been on the field, Friday’s outcome would have been different. Best.

“Let’s face it, a young Mike Tyson would have absolutely destroyed Jake Paul tonight,” Written in X.

The quality of the Tyson-Paul fight was brought into sharp focus by the co-main event that preceded it, as Katie Taylor and Amanda Serrano produced a classic bout that saw Taylor emerge as the undisputed lightweight world champion in a controversial decision. Had maintained his position.

The fight is the latest in a long line of former social media stars becoming professional combat athletes. What started as a purely amateur project has turned into a lucrative money-making scheme involving some of the biggest names in the game.

And preparation for the fight was not much different from a traditional professional boxing match. There were verbal exchanges and even a blow from Tyson during the weigh-in.

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But when the two entered the ring, it became clear that there was a disparity in physicality between the fighters: the 58-year-old Tyson was unable to keep up with Paul throughout the fight.

Terence Crawford, world champion in four different weight classes, wrote, “I love Mike Tyson, but they’re giving him too much credit.” in x“It felt useless, it’s crazy to train for so long and only land 97 punches in the whole fight. “I’m glad he didn’t get hurt there.”

And then Paul, 27, claimed he brought the fight up for the show.

He said, “I wanted to give the fans a show, but I didn’t want to hurt someone who didn’t need to be hurt.”

For some followers, such an admission only validates their criticism of the entire affair.

In addition to public criticism, the fight was the subject of several memes on social media, such as viewers joking about the poor quality of the broadcast and the overall quality of the fight.

As for the next step in Paul’s career, he told CNN before Friday’s fight that he would like to fight Canelo Alvarez in the ring, and issued a challenge to Conor McGregor for a mixed martial arts showdown.

Tyson, on the other hand, did not officially announce his retirement from boxing, but expressed his appreciation for the experience.

“It’s one of those situations where you lose but still win. “I’m grateful. I don’t regret getting in the ring for the last time,” Tyson posted on Instagram Saturday.

“I almost died in June. I was given blood transfusion 8 times. I lost half my blood and 12 pounds in the hospital and had to fight to stay healthy enough to fight, so I won.

“For my kids to see me stand in front of a packed Dallas Cowboys Stadium and go 8 rounds with a talented fighter half my age is an experience no one should have the right to ask for. Thank you.”

CNN has contacted Tyson’s agent to confirm his retirement.