UFC star Conor McGregor believes Mike Tyson’s fight against YouTuber boxer Jake Paul was nothing more than a sparring match.

The controversial and highly anticipated fight went the full eight rounds in Arlington, Texas, but there was little drama as Tyson, 58, was unable to match the energy of his much younger opponent.

The former heavyweight champion threw just 97 punches as his condition deteriorated during the bout, with 27-year-old Paul refusing to throw a punch that would have ended the boxing legend’s night prematurely.

Although the fight was professionally sanctioned — Tyson’s first in nearly two decades — it caused an exhibition, something McGregor is familiar with after fighting a martial arts crossover fight against Floyd Mayweather in 2017.

The outspoken Irishman took to social media following Paul’s unanimous decision win at AT&T Stadium and insisted what he had just witnessed was nothing more than a sparring session in a now-deleted post on X.

‘A 16-minute sparring in sparring gloves. Fuck off.” he wrote on the social media platform.

Jake Paul scored a unanimous victory over former heavyweight champion Mike Tyson in Texas

UFC star Conor McGregor was not impressed with what he saw of the pair on Friday night

Tyson did just enough to make the first the only round he won. From there, the YouTuber continued to do enough to secure his eleventh victory in twelve fights, but not enough to seriously damage the boxing legend.

The disappointing spectacle prompted some boos at the finish, but most of the packed Dallas Cowboys Stadium enjoyed their bizarre night out and joined Paul in paying tribute to Tyson.

‘Mike Tyson, he’s a legend.’ Paul said after his victory. ‘He’s the best to ever do it. I look up to him and without him we wouldn’t be here today. This man is an icon and it’s an honor to fight with him. It was tough, as I expected.

“He’s exactly what I thought, one of the best to ever do it. This evening is not about me. I want to thank the real heroes, the US military, the doctors, the nurses, the ER nurses, the police, the farmers… all the people who keep this world running.

‘I tried to hurt him a little. I was afraid he would hurt me. I’m trying to hurt him. I did my best.’