Netflix’s Tyson-Paul Fight Set the Stage for Streamer’s Assault on Live Sports. But Was It Real? | Analysis

Despite technical issues and cries of a staged contest, the event flashed a near-future for live sports broadcasts

Jake Paul and Mike Tyson
Jake Paul and Mike Tyson (Christopher Smith/TheWrap)

Last Friday’s boxing match between YouTuber-boxer Jake Paul and heavyweight legend Mike Tyson was billed by Netflix as one for the ages. 

But the streamer’s first major foray into live sports — and first foray into live boxing — was plagued by technical issues for the livestream, which Netflix claimed had 65 million concurrent streams around the world. And the headline contest between the 27-year-old Paul and 58-year-old Tyson spurred boos from the crowd at AT&T Stadium outside Dallas and a torrent of reactions from fans and boxing aficionados alike, who accused the fighters of staging the fight, which Paul won handily in an eight-round decision.

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