After Jake Paul defeated Mike Tyson in their highly anticipated fight, fans took to social media, accusing the YouTuber-turned-boxer of holding back and calling the match “rigged.” During the post-fight interview, Paul admitted to “taking his foot off the gas” in later rounds, explaining, “I wanted to give the fans a show, but I didn’t want [to hurt him].” While Paul landed 78 punches to Tyson’s 18, the 27-year-old acknowledged he was cautious about inflicting damage on the legendary fighter.
The fight, held at AT&T Stadium and streamed on Netflix, ended with a unanimous decision in Paul’s favor. Scores revealed an overwhelming victory of 80-72 and 79-73 across the board. Despite this, fans criticized the match, with some labeling it “the worst fight in history” due to its lack of action and Tyson’s noticeable struggles in the ring. Tyson, 58, admitted he didn’t prove much to anyone but praised Paul as a “good fighter” and refused to rule out another return to boxing.
The animosity between the fighters leading up to the event, including Tyson slapping Paul during their final faceoff, was set aside post-fight. Both expressed mutual respect, with Paul calling Tyson an “icon” and Tyson embracing the younger fighter after the match. Paul’s mix of caution and confidence appeared to leave fans divided, questioning whether the event delivered on its promise of drama.
With Paul’s controversial win and Tyson’s reflections on his performance, the bout has sparked debates about the legitimacy of celebrity boxing events and whether this marks the end of Tyson’s career or just another chapter in the sport’s evolving spectacle.
