Mike Tyson and Jake Paul stepped into the ring on Friday at AT&T; Stadium in Arlington, Texas. The match marked the first boxing event broadcast live on Netflix and featured the biggest age gap in professional boxing history.
'Iron Mike' Tyson, now 58, hadn't fought professionally since 2005. He faced off against Jake Paul, a YouTuber-turned-boxer 31 years his junior. The build-up to the fight lasted nearly a year, with many voicing concerns about Tyson's age and long absence from the ring.
When the bell rang, it became clear that Tyson wasn't the force he once was. He competed with knee support and struggled to find his footing. Paul, on the other hand, controlled the fight from start to finish.
The bout lasted all eight two-minute rounds. The judges scored the fight 80-72, 79-73, and 79-73, all in Paul's favor.
Evander Holyfield, Tyson's former foe turned friend, shared his thoughts on the fight. Speaking to Fight Hub TV, Holyfield summed up Tyson's performance in five words:
"It wasn't a good one."
Holyfield, who met Tyson twice in the 1990s and won both fights (including the infamous ear-biting incident), pointed out a possible reason for Tyson's poor showing:
"You can tell something is wrong with Tyson's leg. His balance was off."
As for Jake Paul, Holyfield kept his assessment brief:
"He's a pretty good fighter."
Lennox Lewis, another former heavyweight champion and ex-opponent of Tyson, also weighed in on the bout with a brief comment.
The fight will go down in history, not for its quality, but for its unique circumstances. It showcased the stark contrast between a boxing legend well past his prime and a young, ambitious newcomer to the sport.
