CNN
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One is a YouTuber turned boxer. The other is a boxer who hasn’t fought professionally in almost twenty years.

And yet the combination of Jake Paul and Mike Tyson entering the ring in front of more than 70,000 fans at the home of the Dallas Cowboys captivated the sports audience, with millions tuning in to watch on Netflix.

The streaming platform announced a record 60 million households, with a peak of 65 million simultaneous streams. It called the fight a “mega event” and said it “dominated social media” and “shattered records.” According to Paul, more than 120 million people watched the event.

However, those who did watch – despite the technical difficulties Netflix experienced – were not treated to a boxing masterclass, with Paul ultimately winning via unanimous decision after a disappointing eight rounds.

Tyson certainly looked 58 years old, throwing only 97 punches the entire fight and landing 18, while Paul was athletic enough to outlast his much more experienced opponent. With the win, Paul improves to 11-1 in his professional career.

The sight of Tyson back in the ring delighted many of his old fans, but left others cold.

Former world heavyweight champion and one of Tyson’s fiercest rivals during their heyday, Evander Holyfield, said with a rueful smile that the fight “wasn’t good.”

NBA legend Magic Johnson, who said he has witnessed many of Tyson’s fights in the past, said he had to pull out of the fight because it was “just sad.”

“This fight tonight wasn’t great for boxing,” Johnson wrote on X.

Others were more critical of the fact that Paul chose to fight an opponent nearly thirty years older than him.

Tyson is not the first opponent Paul has faced who is much older than the former Youtuber. He has already faced the UFC’s Tyron Woodley, Anderson Silva and Nate Diaz well past their fighting peaks.

Former heavyweight Tony Bellew said fans should only pay attention to Paul if he “fights someone who is fit and healthy and not a grandfather”, while Olympic gold medal boxer Nicola Adams said Friday’s result would have been a different outcome if Tyson would have been back in his position. fine.

“Let’s be honest: a young Mike Tyson would have absolutely destroyed Jake Paul tonight,” she wrote on X.

The quality of the Tyson vs. Paul fight was clearly spotlighted by the co-main event that preceded it, as Katie Taylor and Amanda Serrano produced a classic fight that saw Taylor controversially retain her undisputed status as light welterweight champion of the world.

The fight is the latest in a long line of former social media stars converting to professional martial arts. What started as a purely amateur venture has turned into a lucrative money-making scheme involving some of the biggest names in sports.

And the build-up to the fight wasn’t much different from a traditional professional boxing fight. Verbal barbs were exchanged and even a punch was thrown by Tyson at the weigh-in.

But as the two entered the ring it was clear there was a difference in physicality between the fighters, with 58-year-old Tyson unable to maintain his level against Paul throughout the fight.

“I love Mike Tyson, but they give him too much credit,” Terence Crawford, world title holder in four different weight classes, wrote on give. is crazy. I’m just glad he didn’t get hurt there.”

And afterwards, 27-year-old Paul claimed he had prolonged the battle for the spectacle.

“I wanted to give the fans a show, but I didn’t want to hurt anyone who didn’t need to be hurt,” he said.

For some fans, such an admission only confirms their criticism of the whole affair.

In addition to the public criticism, the fight was the subject of a large number of memes on social media from fans trying to watch, with viewers joking about the poor quality of the stream and the overall quality of the fight.

As for the next phase of Paul’s career, he told CNN before Friday’s fight that he would like to fight Canelo Alvarez in the ring, while afterwards throwing down the gauntlet to Conor McGregor for a mixed martial arts clash.

On the other hand, Tyson did not officially announce his retirement from boxing but expressed his appreciation for the experience.

“This is one of those situations where you lost but still won. I’m grateful for last night. I have no regrets about getting in the ring one last time,” Tyson posted on X on Saturday.

“I almost died in June. Had 8 blood transfusions. I lost half my blood and 25 pounds in the hospital and had to fight to get healthy to fight, so I won.

“For my kids to see me stand toe-to-toe and finish eight rounds with a talented fighter half my age, in front of a packed Dallas Cowboy Stadium, is an experience no one has the right to ask for. Thank you.”

CNN has reached out to Tyson’s agent for confirmation of his retirement.