1 week Ago
Almost no one enjoyed Mike Tyson’s unanimous decision loss to Jake Paul, but nearly everyone is happy the 58-year-old boxing icon didn’t get hurt in the fight. Paul admitted to taking it easy on Tyson, saying he didn’t want to hurt someone who didn’t need to be hurt. The viewership was off the charts, but unfortunately, Netflix’s server strength wasn’t up to snuff.
Still, as you might expect, fighters from boxing and MMA flooded social media with reactions to the fight. Reigning PFL and Bellator women’s featherweight champion Cris Cyborg posted an image of Tyson to pay homage to the legend despite his losing effort on Friday at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas. Former welterweight boxing champion Andre Berto idolizes Tyson, and he admitted it was a tough watch seeing his idol look vulnerable.
Former super welterweight champion Sergio Mora seemed to imply watching Jake Paul box circles around Tyson made him feel dirty. Former super lightweight champion Regis Prograis showed concern for Tyson as Paul landed a few whacking combinations during the eight-round fight. Former IBF super welterweight champion Raul Marquez never thought Tyson, at 58, had a chance, and he was right.
Gervonta Davis had harsh criticism for Paul. Talksport’s Michael Benson captured this from Davis’ story on Instagram. Ryan Garcia hasn’t won a world title, but it feels like he has.
I also cut him slack because he hasn’t had the best year regarding social media posts. However, this one was solid, and very few people will disagree with this take. If you’ve been entertained by Oscar De La Hoya’s Clapback Thursday social media series, you’ll probably love this week’s episode.
Terence Crawford is an admitted Tyson fan, but he didn’t cut the legend much slack in this harsh critique of the 58-year-old’s performance. Playfully, PFL SuperFights Champion Francis Ngannou says he has a bone to pick with Paul the next time he sees him. Tyson looked like an in-shape 58-year-old fighting an in-shape 27-year-old.
Considering that, even if you didn’t see the fight, you have a good idea of how it went. The first two rounds of the fight, which lasted eight two-minute rounds, were mildly competitive. Paul seemed cautious from the start, which appeared to be more about his concern for Tyson than worry about him getting starched by his opponent’s power.
Paul was never in danger at any point in the fight, and while he landed a few hooks and straights on Tyson, the latter never looked too phased. When Tyson slowed the pace dramatically, Paul followed suit and tried to do just enough to keep the fans from going into an uproar. After the fight, Tyson told Ariel Helwani he believes he will fight again.
He playfully named Logan Paul as a potential opponent, to which Logan responded, “I’d kill you.” That remark didn’t go over well with the crowd as it seemed a bit harsh–even in jest. Helwani mentioned Canelo Alvarez as a potential opponent for Jake, but the latter said he wouldn’t call him out because the Mexican legend needs him.
While it’s likely true that Canelo will make more money fighting Paul than he would against anyone, it is still a stretch to say that he ‘needs’ anyone. Let’s hope Paul’s next opponent is an active boxer with experience and some decent name recognition..
