Great show, yet audience is disappointed after hyped Tyson and Paul fight

• Robbert de Rijk

  In Arlington

From the moment Jake Paul and Mike Tyson announced that they would step into the ring, the question was: is this top sport or top entertainment? Friday night appears to be mainly the latter. The fight fizzles out after a flashy start and after eight rounds Jake Paul wins convincingly on points. Tyson is a few years too old after all.

The hope for a spectacular fight is still there when the doors of the gigantic arena in Arlington, Texas open. Six hours before the fight of the evening, or as the boxers themselves prefer to say, the fight of the century, thousands of supporters want to get in as quickly as possible.

One thing stands out. You stumble over the t-shirts with ‘Team Tyson’ or ‘Iron Mike’. There is no expression that shows that Jake Paul is supported. The most common prediction is a knockout of Tyson in one of the early rounds.

The public mainly gathers on the square in front of the stadium. They miss the first matches of the evening by taking a photo with a fifteen-meter high inflatable dolls of Paul or Tyson or buying piles of merchandise. Because no matter how hard and enthusiastic the host tries in the ring, it is only during the fight for Tyson against Paul that the stadium with around 80,000 seats really fills up.

They missed the best fight of the evening. Katie Taylor and Amanda Serrano turn the fight for the lightweight world title into a real titanic battle. The women fight for every blow for ten rounds of two minutes.

Serrano’s eyebrow is already wide open after a few rounds, causing the two to hang on the ropes at the end of the fight, completely covered in blood. The jury will have to decide whether Katie Taylor will defend her title by one point.

After a traditional recitation of the American national anthem, Jake Paul drives into the stadium in his convertible to loud cheers. Sitting in the back seat and wearing a silver outfit full of diamonds, his brother Logan empties another can of Paul’s brand deodorant. It makes it extra clear what this fight is about: marketing. No charade for Tyson. In a simple black towel over his impressive torso.

I even held back a little, I didn’t want to hurt that legend too much.

In doing so, he scares Paul, especially in the first round. Tyson stands firm and appears in control. Paul is mainly dodging. “I expected that initial phase. I had visualized it so many times,” says Paul at the press conference with the championship belt in front of him.

Because after the second round it’s over for old hand Tyson. He barely moves from his spot and Paul takes control. “I even held back a little. I didn’t want to hurt that legend too much.” Meanwhile, complaints are pouring in from all over the world because of the faltering streaming service Netflix, which broadcasts the fight exclusively.

Watch the reaction of Leerdam, Paul and the fans afterwards:

But there is also grumbling in the stadium. When the last of eight laps is over, much of the crowd doesn’t know how quickly to get away. Even before the referee raises Paul’s arm, many of them have left. No cheers for Paul outside the ring. The audience leaves disappointed. Tyson’s fans the most, but neutral fans are also allowed. The balloon of tension that has been carefully built up for months deflates rapidly during the match.

At the press conference, Paul also thanked his girlfriend Jutta Leerdam extensively. “She inspires me and encourages me. Jutta works harder than me and that ensures that I get the most out of it,” says the YouTuber while looking at Leerdam, who is hiding in a corner of the press room. “She is already world champion and I am sure she will become Olympic champion. So I had to win this match.”

Leerdam himself enjoyed the evening. “It was a lot of fun, but also very exciting. It’s Mike Tyson, isn’t it? That’s scary.” She is especially proud of the size of the event. “This huge stadium is completely full and Netflix has crashed a number of times. I am really proud of him.” She concludes with a look ahead to her own sporting future: “On to Japan!” In less than a week, Leerdam will be at the start of the World Cup in Nagano.

Paul will take home the victory ribbon and an expected almost forty million euros. Whatever people thought of the fight and the glitchy images, Paul is the winner of the evening in every respect.