Jake Paul defeats Mike Tyson by unanimous decision in 8-round bout

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Saturday, November 16, 2024 5:48AM
Mike Tyson slaps Jake Paul in face during final stare-down
Mike Tyson said that "the devil himself" would show up Friday night in his boxing match against Jake Paul. He gave Paul a preview at Thursday's weigh-in.

ARLINGTON, Texas -- Jake Paul won a unanimous decision over Mike Tyson as the hits didn't match the hype in a fight between a young YouTuber-turned-boxer and the 58-year-old former heavyweight champion Friday night.

All the hate from the pre-fight buildup was gone, with Paul even stopping to pay homage with a bow to Tyson before the final bell sounded at the home of the NFL's Dallas Cowboys.

The fight wasn't close on the judge's cards, with one giving Paul an 80-72 edge and the other two calling it 79-73.

Mike Tyson fights Jake Paul Nov. 15, 2024, in Arlington, Texas.
Mike Tyson fights Jake Paul Nov. 15, 2024, in Arlington, Texas.
AP Photo/Julio Cortez

Tyson came after Paul immediately after the opening bell and landed a couple of quick punches but didn't try much else the rest of the way.

Even fewer rounds and shorter rounds couldn't do much to generate action for a 58-year-old in his first sanctioned pro fight in almost 20 years, facing a boxing neophyte with hopes of fighting for championships somewhere in the future.

Paul was more aggressive after the quickly burst from Tyson in the opening seconds, but the punching wasn't very efficient. There were quite a few wild swings and misses.

Mike Tyson lands a left to Jake Paul during their heavyweight boxing match, Friday, Nov. 15, 2024, in Arlington, Texas.
Mike Tyson lands a left to Jake Paul during their heavyweight boxing match, Friday, Nov. 15, 2024, in Arlington, Texas.
AP Photo/Julio Cortez

Tyson mostly sat back and waited for Paul to come to him, with a few exceptions. It was quite the contrast to the co-main event, another slugfest between Katie Taylor and Amanda Serrano in which Taylor kept her undisputed super lightweight championship with another disputed decision.

It was the first sanctioned fight since 2005 for Tyson. Paul started fighting a little more than four years ago.

The fight was originally scheduled for July 20 but had to be postponed when Tyson was treated for a stomach ulcer after falling ill on a flight.

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