Former heavyweight boxing champion Mike Tyson finally met with internet personality turned professional boxer Jake Paul for a highly anticipated fight on Friday, Nov. 15, in Arlington, Texas. The pair met in the AT&T Stadium in front of tens of thousands of fans, while even more caught the match on streaming service Netflix. The outcome was disappointing, not just because Paul emerged victorious, seemingly tainting Tyson’s legacy, but because it lacked the oomph that so many people were expecting.
If you did not watch the fight (and really, then you missed out on very little), you have probably heard about the results by now: Paul was the winner by unanimous decision with scores of 80-72, 79-73, and 79-73. Is this a great stepping stone for Paul, who has made his hopes of becoming a great boxer well-known? Or was it an uneven match as he took on an opponent much older than him who appeared to be suffering from an injury at the time (Tyson’s legs did not look right). Everyone has an opinion on this match, and it’s created an exciting and heated discussion on social media.
Magic Johnson Weighs In On The Mike Tyson VS. Jake Paul Fight
There has also been an outcry from those who felt they wasted their time watching and that the overall fight was incredibly disappointing (despite being a very lucrative payday for all those involved). One such person to share their opinion was former NBA legend Magic Johnson. “Just sad smh. I cut it off because I couldn’t watch anymore. It’s sad to see Mike Tyson like this because I went to every Tyson fight,” he wrote on X. “This fight tonight was not great for boxing.”
The post has been viewed over 2 million times and has attracted attention from fans eager to share their thoughts. Some have expressed similar sentiments while others disagree.
After the results, both Paul and Tyson have been incredibly humble about the experience. The former YouTuber made a statement about how fighting Tyson was an “honor” and referred to him as someone who has inspired him and “an icon.”
Tyson also shared his thoughts on social media. “This is one of those situations when you lost but still won. I’m grateful for last night. No regrets to get in ring one last time,” he wrote on X. He then informed fans of his health struggles, including almost dying in June, and how he felt proud of himself for being able to get back into the ring and complete eight rounds, “with a talented fighter half my age.”
What did you think of the fight? Was it one for the record books or not? Fans are divided.