The highly anticipated fight between legendary boxer Mike Tyson and rising boxing star Jake Paul took place Friday night, and it unfolded much like many had expected—an intense clash between a super fit 27-year-old and a healthy 58-year-old veteran. While Tyson put up a commendable effort, he ultimately fell short.
Paul won the bout by unanimous decision in an eight-round heavyweight match held at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas. The fight was scored by all three judges in favor of Paul, with scores of 80-72, 79-73, and 79-73.
With a record of 11-1, including seven knockouts, Paul began his boxing career in 2020 and achieved six consecutive victories. Following the match, he reflected on the experience of fighting a sports legend like Tyson, expressing that he refrained from showcasing any “cool” tricks or moves because he didn’t want to inflict unnecessary harm. “You know, I wanted to give the fans a show, but I didn’t want to hurt someone that didn’t need to be hurt,” Paul stated at a press confrence.
"I didn't want to hurt someone that didn't need to be hurt."
Jake Paul reacts to his win over Mike Tyson
#PaulTyson pic.twitter.com/BI6S8fXksR
— BBC Sport (@BBCSport) November 16, 2024
RELATED:Jake Paul Defeats Mike Tyson in Boxing Match By Uanimous Decision
Addressing critics who desired more action, Paul explained, “I tried to give the fight the best fight I possibly could, but when someone’s just surviving in the ring, basically, it’s hard to make it exciting. So I couldn’t really get him to engage me, or slip shots, and, you know, do something super cool or whatever. But I don’t care about what people have to say. They’re always going to have something to say, and it is what it is.”
Like Tyson, who has stated that he isn’t ready to hang up his gloves just yet… even despite being retired, Paul is also focused on achieving a major boxing title. He confidently asserted,
“I think it could happen in the next 24 months. I truly, truly believe in my skills and my ability and my power, and the cruiserweight division is seemingly open for the taking on that timeline, and I believe that I can become a world champion and do it within six years of starting to learn how to throw a [expletive] jab. So I think it’ll be the greatest sports story ever, and I know it’s gonna happen.”