Boxing match Tyson vs. Paul: Why Mike Tyson was beaten up

Words can hurt more than punches, even in boxing. That’s why boxers like to insult each other before fights. With Mike Tyson against Jake Paul it sounded like this before the action in the ring:

“Mike, there’s a lot of talk online that you’re going to kill me. Is that what you’re going to do?”

Tyson shrugged. “I’m just ready.”

Paul whined: “This is pretty damn boring.”

The short dialogue showed what this fight was about: a loud-mouthed YouTube star going up against a 58-year-old former world champion. Broadcast live on Netflix, a first for the streaming service, which plans to broadcast more live sports in the future. And what was free to watch this morning for the 300 million Netflix subscribers was probably a ratings hit even by Netflix standards. In any case, the streaming giant’s transmission kept stalling.

So it was all about entertainment and it was only fitting that Jake Paul rolled into the arena in a green Chevrolet convertible. The 27-year-old became known through short online videos in which he re-enacted film scenes. Or ass spaghetti with a fork attached to a drill. Afterwards, Mike Tyson trotted into the arena on foot, wearing simple black boxing gear, a towel over his shoulder. The audience cheered, apparently Tyson had more fans in the hall than Paul.

Then the gong! The fighters met in the middle of the ring. Tyson charged forward, backing away and moving up and down like old times. He landed one hit, then a second. But none of this fazed Paul. This continued until the round was over. “Could be interesting!”, you thought.

Although the fight was considered a professional fight that would count towards the athletes’ balance sheets, the rules had been changed because of Tyson’s age. Unlike a normal professional fight, the fight only lasted eight instead of twelve rounds, each lasting two minutes instead of three.

Yes, at 58 years old, Tyson’s best days are quite a long time ago. In 1997, when Jake Paul was born, Tyson already had 47 professional fights under his belt. The Netflix boxing match was a bit like the Roman gladiator fights, where the appeal was to let different types of gladiators compete against each other. Brutal spectacles between unequal opponents with an uncertain outcome. People against animals. Lions versus tigers. Today, 2000 years later, the program was: a young, pumped YouTuber against an old boxing champion.

Gong, round two! Tyson started aggressively again, but Paul evaded his wild attacks. And then Paul scored with three lefts in a row and Tyson reeled. Paul landed more precise left hooks to Tyson’s temple. The old boxer already looked exhausted – it was sad to see.

It became quieter in the hall; no one had expected such clear strength ratios. The commentators tried to maintain tension by recalling Tyson’s past. At the height of his boxing career, he was considered “the most dangerous man in the world” and was the undisputed world heavyweight champion from 1987 to 1990 and remains the youngest heavyweight world champion in history – he won the title at the age of 20. “He’s notorious for his knockout punches,” shouted the commentator. But Tyson landed it literally decades ago.

The further course of the fight is therefore quickly told. Tyson’s legs looked tired, while Paul’s combinations became more and more fluid. The old man tried to avoid the younger man’s punches with upper body movements, but he kept hitting with a left hook. At some point, Tyson looked like what he is: a 58-year-old with a bad knee.

Why were millions of people watching this? Why did Netflix get involved here? Probably also because boxing has developed from a purely sporting competition into a lifestyle phenomenon in recent years. Gyms are offering boxing as part of their programs, and more and more people, especially young adults, are seeing the sport not only as a way to achieve physical fitness, but also as a symbol of self-mastery and self-improvement. And thanks to influencers like Jake Paul, boxing has become a trend that goes beyond the ring. Even idiot Stefan Raab recently got into the ring against professional boxer Regina Halmig – and got a good punch in the nose.

Mike Tyson also suffered this fate. Because Paul – you have to give him that – boxed well. He was constantly moving, landing precise hits regularly and never staying in one place as Mike Tyson froze into a statue. The corner conversations during one of the last breaks in the ring spoke volumes:

Tysons Coach: «Champ, you gotta get more aggressive!»

Pauls Coach: «You’re the young lion, he’s the old lion!»

Last gong, last round. The commentator’s voice cracked again as he once again feigned that Tyson might now deliver his knockout blow. But as a viewer, even as a layperson, you knew the answer: Nope, too old, too slow.

Then the bell, the two hugged each other, no aggression was noticeable, they were probably relieved that no one was hurt – and both are 40 million richer. The moderators’ excitement quickly gave way to sober analysis: “No surprise, it was actually clear…”

A subdued, almost resigned mood settled over the stadium. What a difference to the previous fight between Katie Taylor and Amanda Serrano, two real boxers who showed their sport at the highest technical level, covered in blood.

In his winning speech, Jake Paul thanked the “military and all the nurses and firefighters who make America a great country.” Tyson, taciturn as ever, tried a joke: “Maybe I’ll fight your brother next.” He stood next to Jake Paul and answered without irony: “Motherfucker, I’ll kill you, Mike.”

Any doubts as to whether this stunted show could be taken seriously were dispelled at the latest. All that remains are three requests. Netflix: increase server capacity. Jake Paul: Compete against an active boxer. Mike Tyson: Please resign forever.

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