TEXAS: Social media influencer Jake Paul defeated the legendary Mike Tyson with a unanimous decision in an eight-round heavyweight match at AT&T Stadium on a blockbuster night in Dallas during the Netflix event. All three judges scored in favour of Paul, 80-72, 79-73 and 79-73 in a match that was contested in 2-minute rounds.
The YouTuber-turned-boxer and Iron Mike were supposed to square off on July 20, but it was delayed after Tyson received medical attention during a flight for an ulcer flare. After a 19-year hiatus, the 58-year-old Tyson returned to the ring against Paul, who held a record of 10-1 before coming to the fight.
As Paul made his entrance, the Texas crowd welcomed him with ‘boos’ while Tyson, who walked alone, was met with cheers and applause from the fans.
A ringside look at #PaulTyson 👀 pic.twitter.com/WZlzvJ7gKX
— Netflix (@netflix) November 16, 2024
In the opening round, Tyson was on the dominant foot and landed a couple of blows after forcing Paul into the corner. Paul slowly found his rhythm and retaliated towards the end, but it wasn’t enough to change the minds of the judges as the opener went in favour of Tyson.
In the second round, Paul kept his guard low and invited Tyson to exchange blows with him. The round proceeded in a similar fashion, and Tyson clinched it with 10-9.
Jake Paul bows to Mike Tyson at the end of the match. #PaulTyson pic.twitter.com/FUQGZVyADQ
— Netflix (@netflix) November 16, 2024
Tyson tried to burst out, but Paul rocked him with a triple jab, forcing Iron Mike to spend the rest of round three on the ropes. The signs of fatigue started to overtake the 58-year-old as his mobility seemingly decreased heavily. Paul capitalised on the window of opportunity and took the Round 4.
In the fifth round, Tyson tried to retaliate with a left jab but Paul landed a couple of body blows towards the end to maintain his lead. With Paul leading by 48-47, the crowd started to up the ante and got behind Tyson.
Jake Paul praises Mike Tyson: “He’s the GOAT” #PaulTyson pic.twitter.com/AhEBA5Ojoj
— Netflix (@netflix) November 16, 2024
Against the fans’ demand, Paul continued to dictate the terms of the match, leaving Tyson in a situation where he needed to pull off two big rounds to change the outcome. The wonder round from Tyson never came as Paul went on to claim the victory for himself.
At the end of the match, Paul produced a heartfelt moment as he bowed to Tyson. (ANI)