ARLINGTON, Texas — Mike Tyson’s highly anticipated return to the boxing ring after nearly two decades saw “The Baddest Man on the Planet” fall short to YouTuber-turned-prizefighter Jake Paul, who cruised to a unanimous decision Friday night at AT&T Stadium.
Although Tyson was a massive fan favorite, the fight proved that Father Time remains undefeated. Tyson, 58, struggled to mount any significant offense as the 27-year-old Paul peppered him with jabs throughout the affair, which featured eight two-minute rounds.
The judges scored the fight 80-72, 79-73 and 79-73 for Paul.
The fight, Netflix’s first foray into live sports, might have been more spectacle than substance, but it was a spectacular one that captured the imagination of fans young and old, and drew a who’s who of celebrities, from Shaquille O’Neal and Evander Holyfield to Joe Jonas and Charlize Theron.
Paul entered the ring in a green car with his brother, Logan, beside him and a caged pigeon in the backseat as Phil Collins’ “In the Air Tonight” played, a subtle jab at Tyson, who performed part of the song in the film “The Hangover.”
Tyson’s walkout was met with a rousing ovation, as he entered to “Murdergram” by Ja Rule, Jay-Z and DMX. Although Tyson is approaching 60, the entrance served as an iconic moment for all in attendance.
But that’s where the excitement ended.
At Thursday’s weigh-in, Tyson slapped Paul in the face after Paul stepped on his foot during the final stare-down. That proved to be the biggest strike Tyson would land on his opponent. After a tense opening minute, Paul began using his length to prevent Tyson from rumbling inside, scoring with jabs to the head and body.
By the third round, Tyson was out of gas and reduced to following Paul around the ring and occasionally springing to action.
“I didn’t prove nothing to anybody, only to myself,” Tyson said of his performance. “I’m not one of those guys that look to please the world. I’m just happy with what I can do.”
Tyson curiously bit at his gloves throughout the fight and wore a knee brace that signaled a lack of mobility and compromised his signature explosiveness. Still, Paul had to respect the former heavyweight champion, who made a name for himself with his destructive power and intimidation.
“He’s a legend,” Paul said. “He’s the greatest to ever do it. He’s the GOAT. I look up to him. I’m inspired by him, and we wouldn’t be here without him. He’s an icon. He’s the toughest man on the planet.”
Tyson returned to the ring for his first fight as a professional since he lost to Kevin McBride on June 11, 2005. He had recently impressed against Roy Jones Jr. in a 2020 exhibition, setting the stage for the fight with Paul.
But Tyson (50-7, 44 KOs, 2 NCs) struggled to sustain anything offensively Friday night, landing only 18 of 97 punches.
Paul was originally slated to face Tyson on July 20, but the fight was postponed after Tyson suffered an ulcer flare-up on a airline flight. Rather than wait, Paul took a fight with former UFC fighter and current BKFC competitor Mike Perry and scored a sixth-round TKO.
Paul (11-1, 7 KOs) couldn’t knock out Tyson, who is 31 years his senior. Instead, he used lateral movement and routinely popped Tyson with jabs. Neither fighter was in much danger, and Paul remained in control throughout, landing 78 of 278 punches.
“I was trying to hurt him a little bit,” Paul said. “I was scared he was going to hurt me. I was trying to hurt him. I did my best.”
At times, the crowd grew restless and booed the lack of action. But there would be chants of “Tyson” and an occasional roar of approval whenever the former champion darted forward and threw a punch. But Tyson’s age showed, and he didn’t have the energy to keep up with his younger opponent.
Although it wasn’t the performance he wanted to deliver, Tyson declined to say this was the last time he would step into a boxing ring.
“I don’t know,” Tyson said afterward when asked if he would compete again. “It depends on the situation.”
Tyson then eyeballed Logan Paul and suggested a potential showdown.
“Maybe I’ll fight his brother,” Tyson said.
Logan Paul didn’t seem too keen on the callout, snapping back, “I’ll kill you, Mike.”
As for Jake Paul, he said he was still pursuing a boxing match with Canelo Alvarez. Although unlikely, the idea of fighting Tyson was thought to be ridiculous just a few years ago, and it eventually happened.
“Everyone is next on the list,” Paul said. “Canelo needs me. I’m not even going to call him out. He needs a payday. He knows where the money man is at.”
