1 week Ago By Rich Jones
Jake Paul's bout with Mike Tyson , which generated a staggering $17.8 million in gate revenue, left a crowd of approximately 75,000 spectators at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, feeling let down by the underwhelming spectacle. The fight marked Netflix 's foray into live sports broadcasting, allowing its 282 million subscribers to tune in and spark plenty of discussion.
However, both viewers experiencing streaming issues at home and those present at the stadium were less than impressed with the main event. As the fight progressed, it became evident that the 31-year age difference between 27-year-old Paul and 58-year-old Tyson resulted in a total mismatch, with Tyson struggling to land a punch on his younger, quicker, fitter, and more athletic adversary. Boos began to echo around the stadium during the penultimate round, increasing in volume as the fighters emerged for the final round.
The end of the fight and the announcement of Paul's unanimous decision victory, while indisputable, were also met with boos. To make matters worse, thousands of fans had already left by the end, with a noticeable lack atmosphere as Paul's hand was raised. Throughout the week, Texan fans had shown their support for Tyson, with Paul content to play the antagonist.
However, hopes of seeing the heavyweight champion return to his glory days were dashed as he appeared a mere shadow of his former self. The atmosphere inside the stadium was undeniably one of disappointment, with the crowd unsure how to react for much of the fight. Speaking directly after the fight on Netflix , Andre Ward commented: "The crowd was a bit confused, because they wanted Mike to give them something to cheer about, but he didn't give them anything to cheer about, because of his age and what-not.
" He added, "They didn't want to boo Mike, but they were kind of restless and they didn't know what to do.".
