Mike Tyson’s much-anticipated return to the boxing ring ended in defeat as 27-year-old YouTuber-turned-fighter Jake Paul dominated the legendary heavyweight on Friday night.
The eight-round bout took place at the AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, with Paul securing victory by unanimous decision.
The judges scored the fight 80-72, 79-73, and 79-73 in favor of Paul, who used his speed and agility to outclass the 58-year-old Tyson. Despite his legendary status, Tyson struggled to connect with meaningful punches and appeared every bit his age throughout the fight.
Paul landed 78 of his 278 punches, while Tyson connected with only 18 of 97 attempts. Paul controlled the fight from the start, overwhelming Tyson with combinations, especially in the third round, where he unleashed a flurry of punches that left Tyson on the defensive.
Tyson, who became the youngest heavyweight champion at 20, looked far removed from his prime. The former champion landed only a handful of punches during the fight. Still, he managed to finish all eight rounds, earning respect from the crowd.
In a touching moment during the final seconds of the last round, Paul bowed before Tyson as a gesture of respect for the boxing icon.
The undercard featured a six-round super middleweight fight between India’s Neeraj Goyat and Brazil’s Whindersson Nunes. Goyat dominated the match, securing a unanimous decision victory with scores of 60-54.
