Lauren Sellman, Arts & Entertainment Editor
Mike Tyson and Jake Paul at the “Paul vs Tyson” fight. Photo//Secondsout.com
In an unexpected turn of events, YouTube celebrity Jake Paul beats former heavyweight champion Mike Tyson last Friday, November 15, 2024, in Arlington, Texas. The fight lasted all 8 rounds, with Paul unanimously voted as the winner.
Mike Tyson, also known as “Iron Mike” or “the baddest man on the planet”, competed in heavyweight boxing between 1985 and 2005. With a nearly undefeated record of 50-7 throughout his career, many expected an easy win for the American icon.
After launching his YouTube channel in 2014, the controversial star has accumulated more than 20 million subscribers, becoming one of the highest-paid social media personalities in the world. After beginning his boxing debut in 2020, Paul has been nearly undefeated with a record of 11-1.
Each round is 2 minutes long, emphasizing the agility of the 27-year-old compared to the 58-year-old legend.
This was the most bet on boxing or MMA fight in all of Sportsbook BetMGM history. According to ESPN, Tyson held an overwhelming majority of bets, however, Paul brought in the highest bidders.
This fight has generated so much interest due to the polarity of these two figures, fans from every generation had their eyes on the TV with undying confidence in one fighter or the other. The unique 31-year age gap between the opponents created an interesting dynamic, adding intensity to the fight.
The fight was originally scheduled to occur over the summer however after Tyson experienced a stomach ulcer flare-up in May, it was postponed to November.
The fight was streamed on Netflix, generating over 65 million online viewers in addition to the 600,000 tickets sold at the AT&T Stadium.
Despite excessive trash talk from both sides leading up to the fight, no one was knocked out.
Although the upcoming amateur took the win in this fight, Mike Tyson will inevitably go down in history as one of the world's most successful boxers and this collaboration will fade into the background of a relatively undefeated record.
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