ARLINGTON, Texas — One of the wildest spectacles in recent sports history came to an end Friday night.
Jake Paul beat Mike Tyson by unanimous decision in a fight livestreamed by Netflix and held in front of more than 70,000 spectators at AT&T Stadium.
The heavyweight boxing matchup followed a sometimes zany build-up to an unlikely bout: the 58-year-old former world heavyweight champion against the 27-year-old social media sensation. At the weigh-in Thursday, for example, Tyson slapped Paul in the face.
Paul entered the fight as the betting favorite, but it’s unlikely anyone will cash in like the two boxers will. Paul is expected to make $40 million and Tyson is expected to make $20 million.
It was Tyson’s first pro fight since 2005, and his career record falls to 50-7.
It was Paul’s biggest moment in a boxing career that started less than five years ago. He improved his career record to 11-1.
The main card has begun. Follow along with USA TODAY Sports for all the developments from the undercard, to the walk-ins to the Tyson-Paul fight:
Mike Tyson vs. Jake Paul, heavyweight, eight rounds
Round 8: Paul jabs Tyson into another solar system. Tyson can’t dodge. The reality of age settling in as the fight ends. Paul shows Tyson respect by bowing to him in the final seconds of the fight. We now go to Father Time for comment who says: I’m still unbeaten. Paul 73, Tyson 68
Round 7: The question is: Why isn’t Paul taking advantage of Tyson’s sluggishness? Who knows. The broadcast crew expresses something you have rarely heard for Tyson: sympathy. They feel sorry for Tyson. Tyson breathing heavily. Paul 63, Tyson 59
Round 6: Roy Jones Jr. says: “I think that’s all we’re going to see from Mike.” That feeling is strong. Tyson looks plodding and slow. The boos come again, except louder. Let’s just be clear about this. This fight is boring as hell. Paul 53, Tyson 50
Round 5: Paul targets Tyson’s chin. He isn’t hitting it but it seems only a matter of time. However, Paul keeps his hands low, something that used to be a mortal sin back in the day. Way back in the day. Pleistocene era. Paul 43, Tyson 41
Round 4: Paul is extremely active. He looks comfortable, like this is a sparring match. Tyson takes a body shot. Paul left hook lands. Not much action otherwise. Small cascade of boos rings across the stadium. Paul 33, Tyson 32
Round 3: Tyson gets hit and starts to take some bad shots. He stumbles after a Paul shot. He looks out of it. His age clearly starts to show. He’s in big trouble. Paul looks so much faster, the difference between a starship and a shuttlecraft. Paul 25, Tyson 24
Round 2: The fighters hold in the center. Still doing some measuring. Analyst Roy Jones Jr. says he “doesn’t like Tyson’s legs.” Not sure what that means though Tyson is wearing a brace on his right knee. More measuring and patience. No fighter steps up. Compared to some other fights on the night, this one is boring so far. Tyson 17, Paul 16
Round 1: Tyson went to the center of the ring fast. Just like in the olden days. When dinosaurs ruled the planet. He lands an overhand right. Paul makes Tyson chase him around the ring. Smart move. Trying to wear out the 58-year-old fighter. Paul lands a right. Tyson throws a low shot. Tyson catches a hard right. We’re off. Tyson 9, Paul 8
Mike Tyson (50-6-2, 44 KOs) and Jake Paul (10-1, 7 KOs) finally are in the ring and the most anticipated fight in probably a decade is set to begin.
Mike Tyson does ring walk solo to intimidating track
Former undisputed world heavyweight Mike Tyson has given fans dozens of electrifying walk-outs throughout his career and his return to the boxing ring was no different Friday.
Tyson sent a message to YouTube star-turned-boxer Jake Paul with his pre-fight soundtrack, Jay-Z’s “Murdergram,” as he walked out to the ring at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas. Despite being 58-years-old, Tyson still has an intimidating presence, highlighted by his quick saunter to the ring. Tyson made his walk to the ring solo and wasn’t accompanied by a large entourage. — Cydney Henderson
Jake Paul makes eye-popping entrance
The ring walk (or ride in this instance) from Jake Paul did not disappoint. He walked out to the applause of the crowd as he normally does, swagged out to the max, rocking diamonds and other lavish jewels from head to toe. Paul looked like a million bucks, mainly because that’s exactly what he was wearing.
Paul and his crew, including brother Logan, came out to the song “In the Air Tonight” by Phil Collins, the same song that Tyson jammed out to in the original “The Hangover” film. Perhaps this was a subtle jab at Tyson, one last taunt before the fight starts. — Jon Hoefling
Gospel singer Tori Kelly sings national anthem
Grammy Award-winning songstress Tori Kelly sang the national anthem ahead of the bout between Mike Tyson and Jake Paul on Friday at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas.
Kelly, 31, initially made the announcement on Instagram, alongside Netflix, which is broadcasting the live event between Tyson and Paul. Kelly shared behind-the-scenes footage of her rehearsing the anthem inside the boxing ring.
Performing the national anthem at sporting events is nothing new for Kelly. She previously sang “The Star-Spangled Banner” ahead of the Los Angeles Lakers’ opening night matchup against the Los Angeles Clippers in 2019. She also sang the anthem at the 2021 Kentucky Derby and ahead of a “Sunday Night Football” matchup between the Las Vegas Raiders and Los Angeles Chargers in January 2022. — Cydney Henderson
When is Mike Tyson vs. Jake Paul fight?
Friday
What time is Mike Tyson vs. Jake Paul fight?
The main card for the Mike Tyson-Jake Paul fight starts at 8 p.m. ET. Tyson and Paul are expected to make their way to the ring at about 11 p.m. ET.
Where is Mike Tyson vs. Jake Paul fight?
AT&T Stadium, home of the Dallas Cowboys, in Arlington, Texas.
How to watch Mike Tyson vs. Jake Paul fight
Netflix. A subscription is required. Monthly subscriptions start at $6.99.
Jake Paul’s prefight prediction for Mike Tyson fight
During a prefight interview with Netflix’s Ariel Helwani, Jake Paul said he was glad Mike Tyson slapped him, because that “made it personal.”
“I’m so happy he did that. You know, this makes it real,” Paul said. “When I beat his (expletive) in a couple of moments here, no one can say anything. People want to see me fail. They want to see me lose. They want to see me get knocked out. And then they’re going to make excuses for Mike Tyson when he’s the one that does that? But now they can’t. It’s personal. And I don’t care if we were friends before, but this is serious now and I’m knocking him the (expletive) out.” — Jon Hoefling
Netflix experiences major issues on fight night
The streaming service – broadcasting it’s first live fight – is having its problems with viewers complaining about buffering issues and some miscommunication with the host. Netflix has experienced problems like this in the past.
USA TODAY Sports has reached out to Netflix, but the platform declined to comment.
As the night has progressed, the screen quality has been brought up as an issue for some watching the fight at home.
Evander Holyfield’s earpiece was not working during his interview and Lennox Lewis had to relay questions to him. When Jerry Jones joined the panel, his microphone failed to work and former Cowboys player Michael Irvin had to lend him his microphone. And after an interview in the locker room, the camera followed Mike Tyson as he turned away from the camera and viewers got a full moon – Tyson’s butt took up the screen. — James Williams and Heather Tucker
Who is Jake Paul’s girlfriend?
Jake Paul arrived at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, ahead of his fight with Mike Tyson with a special companion on his arm — his 25-year-old girlfriend Jutta Leerdam, a Dutch Olympic speed skater.
Paul and Leerdam went Instagram official in April 2023, with Paul revealing their relationship by captioning several photos of the couple holding hands, “Im Dutch now.” Paul and Leerdam celebrated their one-year anniversary on April 12.
“I adore you, I’m so grateful for you, you make me the happiest girl in the world,” Leerdam wrote. “The man with the best heart. Let’s never stop dancing baby.”
In his own anniversary post, Paul, 27, said he’s “been in love since day one.” Read more about Leerdam here. — Cydney Henderson
Katie Taylor def. Amanda Serrano by unanimous decision
Amando Serrano was ripped off. That’s it. That’s the story from another legendary fight between Katie Taylor and Serrano.
This is not to take anything away from Taylor, who retained her super lightweight belts. She fought hard. The judges awarded her a 95-94 unanimous decision. But she clearly did not win. It’s not even a question of opinion.
The decision was booed by the crowd and chastised by the broadcast crew.
Serrano received a deep cut early in the fight and continued. It was a remarkable display of courage on her part. Taylor was deducted a point for head-butting. During and after the fight both Serrano and her corner said Taylor had a reputation for head-butting opponents.
But the fighters put on another amazing show. It was the second historic fight of the night.
Taylor went to 23-1 and Serrano is 47-3-1. — Mike Freeman
Katie Taylor vs. Amanda Serrano, super lightweight, 10 rounds
Round 10: They brawl in the center of the ring. Punches fly and no one moves away. They just brawl. Taylor lands a significant left. Serrano lands an uppercut. Serrano isn’t bothered by anything. Blood. Taylor. Nothing. Both fighters showing tremendous guts. Serrano 88, Taylor 87
Round 9: This is another legendary fight, the second of the night. The fighters stand toe-to-toe. Broadcast does an interview with Serrano’s corner, which says that Taylor is known for head-butting opponents. What a moment. What a fight. Serrano 78, Taylor 77
Round 8: Taylor connects with a hard left. Serrano stays strong. The blood pours over Serrano’s face. It has to be blurring her vision. But she pushes on. Taylor loses a point over a headbutt. Replay doesn’t really show any type of headbutt. A phantom headbutt? Ref warns Taylor and says: “You better change something.” Serrano 69, Taylor 68
Round 7: This fight is amazing. It’s another historic bout. Serrano fights on despite a horrific cut. Taylor, because it’s boxing, takes advantage. She goes on the attack and scores but Serrano stands her ground. Serrano connects with an uppercut. Serrano 60, Taylor 59
Round 6: The cut has become a huge issue and the fight is temporarily stopped. It is bad. It is ugly. But the fight goes on. Another display of courage from fighters, in this case Serrano. The cut looks like something from a science fiction movie. Cut man in corner says: “This is no good.” Serrano 52, Taylor 50
Round 5: Analyst Rosie Perez on the broadcast says Taylor is flirting with danger by keeping her mouth open, risking a broken jaw. Blood covers the face of Serrano. Her corner works on the cut over her eye. So far it seems under control. Serrano 44, Taylor 42
Round 4: Ref gives Tayjor warning about a headbutt. Then she delivers a fast and heavy left to the body. Serrano looks faster and more aggressive. But a problem develops for Serrano as she has a cut over her right eye. The cut man could end up being crucial in this fight. Serrano 36, Taylor 34
Round 3: Serrano continues to look like the aggressor, but Taylor is holding her own. Serrano is throwing various lefts and they are landing. Analyst Roy Jones Jr. says something looks off with Taylor. What’s happening? It’s unclear. But Serrano still looks like the crisper fighter. Serrano 28, Taylor 26
Round 2: Taylor gets hit again with a right but responds with her own combo. Lots of action in this fight. The round ends with Serrano landing another right. The boxing skill is off the chart. Serrano 19, Taylor 18
Round 1: Serrano is clearly the better puncher of the two and it showed in the first round. A huge overhand left connects and Taylor was woozy. She was saved by the bell. And we’re off! The two fighters are picking up where they ended their their first fight. Serrano 10, Taylor 9
Ireland’s Katie Taylor (23-1, 6 KOs) and Puerto Rico’s Amanda Serrano (47-2-1, 31 KOs) are walking into the ring for Taylor’s IBF, WBA, WBC and WBO titles. Their rematch is highly anticiapted after many believed Serrano was robbed of a victory in their fight at Madison Square Garden in 2022. This is the last fight before Mike Tyson-Jake Paul.
Lennox Lewis, Evander Holyfield among stars on hand
ARLINGTON, Texas – The stars Friday night are shining big and bright in the Cowboys’ AT&T Stadium. Famous faces are on-hand to see the highly anticipated fight between boxer/YouTuber Jake Paul and Mike Tyson, a former heavyweight champion.
Legendary boxer Lennox Lewis raised his arms in triumph posing at AT&T Stadium. Lewis, 59, predicted to Netflix that when Paul sees Tyson, Paul’s “going to take off. He’s going to be running. He’s going to be scared.”
Later, Lewis and Evander Holyfield appeared on Netflix’s broadcast. Because of a faulty earpiece, Holyfield couldn’t properly hear the questions. Lewis helped by relaying the queries directly to Holyfield. Holyfield and Tyson faced off in a memorable bout in 1997, during which Tyson bit a piece of Holyfield’s ear off. See what other stars came out here. — Erin Jensen
Whose ear did Mike Tyson bite in a boxing match?
During their second fight in 1997, Mike Tyson bit off part of Evander Holyfield’s right ear. Tyson was disqualified. The fight came seven months after Holyfield upset Tyson to claim the WBA championship. — Casey Moore
Lennox Lewis vs. Mike Tyson
Three-time heavyweight champion Lennox Lewis provided some firsthand insight during an interview before the Mike Tyson-Jake Paul fight. Lewis fought — and knocked out — Tyson in 2002. Lewis’ eighth-round KO allowed him to retain the WBC, IBF and IBO titles. — Casey Moore
Why is Rosie Perez commentating on the fights?
Fans were expecting lots of taunting, lots of action, and very little respect between the combatants.
However, fans may not have expected to see an Oscar nominee as part of the broadcast team.
Rosie Perez, an esteemed actor and choreographer, is also a longtime boxing fanatic. She has described how her love of boxing was engrained in her from a very young age. Read about her boxing chops here. — Jon Hoefling
Jake Paul rocks $1M diamond-encrusted ensemble
All eyes will be on Jake Paul when he faces off against Mike Tyson on Friday and the YouTuber-turned boxing star plans to give everyone something to look at.
Paul gave his millions of Instagram followers an early look at his boxing ensemble, which he described as the “most expensive boxing outfit of all-time.” According to Paul, his outfit features 380 carats among his boxing shorts, shoes and jacket. All The Smoke Boxing reported that Paul’s ensemble costs $1 million.
The 27-year-old will wear a pair of silver shorts decked out in tons of bling. Paul’s name is emblazoned on the front of his shorts in diamonds with diamond tennis chains attached all over. The same can be found on his boxing shoes. He completed the look with a jewel-encrusted gray jacket that features the logo of his new body care line, W by Jake Paul. — Cydney Henderson
