Many of us at the Lanthorn watched on Friday, Nov. 15 as YouTuber Jake Paul defeated the legendary Mike Tyson in a highly publicized fight that was live-streamed through Netflix. While the buildup to the fight was exciting, the result left us feeling shocked, saddened and underwhelmed, while also contemplating the legitimacy of the match.
The two fighters went eight full rounds, with each round lasting two minutes, and Tyson was defeated by Paul in a unanimous decision by the judges. However, many, including us, are speculating that the fight may have been “fixed.”
In the lead-up to the highly anticipated match, Paul embarked on a trash-talking press tour, boasting that he was there “to make $40 million and knock out a legend.” However, a video posted to Paul’s own YouTube channel contradicted Paul’s words. In the video, Paul underwent a lie detector test, during which his brother, Logan Paul, asked him whether he believed he could beat Tyson. Paul said that while he did believe he would win the fight, the lie detector test indicated this statement to be false. While lie detector tests aren’t 100% accurate, we believe that Paul was uncertain about the match– not because he thought he’d lose, but because he wasn’t sure if he could win had it not been fixed in his favor.
With so much uncertainty leading up to the fight, speculation that it might have been rigged in Paul’s favor grew. During press conferences, Tyson seemed disengaged, and as if he was just going through the motions for the match. Many fans began to wonder if this was because Tyson was being paid to lose the fight. Despite these doubts, we remained hopeful that the match would be a fair and honest one, due to it being advertised as an important, record-breaking night.
Unfortunately, Tyson, a legendary figure in boxing, appeared to be coasting throughout the fight. He attacked Paul with less fire than was expected, and it was obvious that Paul was not trying to knock Tyson out, despite him stating online that he intended to.
Following the match, Paul was quoted saying, “I wanted to give the fans a show, but I didn’t want to hurt someone that didn’t need to be hurt.” While this is understandable, considering Paul is 27 years old and Tyson is 58, the behavior and demeanor of Paul and Tyson during the match felt strange and out of place. When he was younger, Tyson was known as “Iron Mike” and “The Baddest Man on the Planet,” due to his aggressive fighting style. Although Tyson is older now, the lack of aggression from both boxers is cause for concern.
The rumors of a scripted fight continued to swirl after a heartbreaking interview with Tyson was released afterward. When Tyson was asked about the match, he replied, “I just don’t have this in my heart anymore,” and went on to say that he was “just fighting to take care of his bills.” This is a sad sentiment, but due to the amount of attention and money generated by the fight, we see this as possible evidence that he intentionally threw the match.
To us, it was disappointing to see such a boxing legend defeated by an internet star, who often behaves in an audacious manner. Not only that, but it was strange to see Paul choosing to fight an opponent almost 30 years older than him, and well past his fighting peak. If the fight occurred when Tyson was 27, like Paul, it is unlikely the outcome would have been the same. The fight dropping Tyson’s record to 50-7 is also a letdown for fans who admire his legacy.
Whether the fight was rigged or not, it is clear to us that Tyson’s loss to Paul will go down as one of the most unfortunate losses in the history of boxing. In the future, if Tyson ever decides to hop back into the ring, hopefully he will be doing it with the same passion he held in his former years.
