CNN
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One is a Youtuber turned boxer. The other is a boxer who hasn’t fought professionally since almost 20 years.

And yet, the combination of Jake Paul and Mike Tyson Stepping into the ring in front of more than 70,000 fans at the home of the Dallas Cowboys captivated the sports audience, with millions watching it on Netflix.

The streaming platform announced a record number of 60 million connected households, with a peak of 65 million simultaneous streams. He called the fight a “mega-event”, saying it had “dominated social media” and “broken records”. According to Paul, more than 120 million people watched the event.

Those who watched – even despite the technical issues Netflix encountered – were not treated to a boxing masterclass, with Paul ultimately winning by unanimous decision after eight disappointing rounds.

Tyson looked every bit the 58-year-old, throwing just 97 punches throughout the fight and landing 18, while Paul was athletic enough to outlast his much more experienced opponent. With this victory, Paul improves his record to 11-1 in his professional career.

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

Former world heavyweight champion and one of Tyson’s fiercest rivals in his prime, Evander Holyfield, said the fight “wasn’t good” with a sad smile.

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

“This fight tonight was not great for boxing,” Johnson written the.

Others were more critical of Paul’s choice to fight an opponent nearly 30 years his senior.

Tyson isn’t the first opponent Paul has faced who is much older than the former Youtuber, having previously faced the UFC’s Tyron Woodley, Anderson Silva and Nate Diaz well past their fighting primes.

Former heavyweight Tony Bellew said fans shouldn’t watch Paul until he “fights someone who is healthy and isn’t a grandpa”, while the boxer Olympic gold medalist Nicola Adams said Friday’s result would have been different if Tyson was back in his prime.

“Let’s be real, a young Mike Tyson would have absolutely destroyed Jake Paul tonight,” she said. written the.

The quality of the Tyson-Paul fight was highlighted by its co-main event that preceded it, as Katie Taylor and Amanda Serrano produced a classic fight with Taylor retaining her undisputed status as light welterweight champion of the world in controversial fashion.

This fight is the latest in a long line of former social media stars converting to professional combat sports. What started as a purely amateur venture has grown into a lucrative, lucrative program involving some of the biggest names in the sport.

And the preparation for the fight wasn’t much different from a traditional professional boxing match. There were verbal exchanges and there was even a slap thrown by Tyson during the weigh-in.

But when the two entered the ring, it was evident there was a physical disparity between the fighters, with Tyson, 58, unable to maintain his level against Paul throughout the fight.

“I love Mike Tyson, but they give him too much credit,” said Terence Crawford, world title holder in four different weight classes. written the. “He looked like trash, training that long and only throwing 97 punches the whole fight is crazy. I’m just glad he wasn’t hurt there.

And then Paul, 27, claimed to have prolonged the fight for the show.

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

For some fans, such an admission only validates their criticisms of the whole affair.

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

As for the next step in Paul’s career, he told CNN before Friday’s fight that he would like to fight Canelo Álvarez in the ring, while afterward he threw down the challenge to Conor McGregor for a clash of mixed martial arts.

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

“It’s one of those situations where you lose but still win. I am grateful for last night. No regrets about getting in the ring one last time,” Tyson posted on X on Saturday.

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

“Having my kids see me face to face and finish 8 rounds with a talented fighter half my age in front of a packed Dallas Cowboys Stadium is an experience no man has the right to ask for. THANKS.”

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