ARLINGTON, Texas — Mike Tyson showed his bare buttocks while being interviewed on the Netflix live stream before the bout.
It’s fitting, because he subsequently made an ass of himself when he got in the ring.
Tyson was washed up in 2005.
In 2024, he’s just embarrassing himself.
Father time is real.
Boxing ability diminishes at 58 years old.
Who would’ve thought?
Tyson, fighting an officially sanctioned, professional bout for the first time in 19 years, was dominated by 27-year-old YouTuber-turned-boxer Jake Paul Friday night at AT&T Stadium.
Paul won via unanimous decision, 80-72, 79-73, 79-73, though most of the excitement came during their walkouts.
This was a cash-grab charade masquerading as a professional sporting event.
It turned out to be the boring gimmick most predicted it would be.
Why should anything else have been expected?
Tyson, of course, lost three of his last four fights before he retired in 2005.
Going back further, he had won just five of his last 12 fights before Friday’s bout.
He had looked awful in the ring, and after losing to Kevin McBride admitted as much himself.
“I don’t have the guts to be in this sport anymore,” Tyson said after that 2005 bout. “I don’t want to disrespect the sport that I love. My heart is not into this anymore. I’m sorry for the fans who paid for this. I wish I could have done better. I want to move on with my life. It’s time to move on with my life and be a father, take care of my children.”
Nineteen years didn’t miraculously restore any of Tyson’s guts or heart.
If he thinks he was disrespecting boxing in 2005, he’s now brought it to a new, sad level.
Tyson fell to 50-7-2, while Paul improved his record to 11-1.
Tyson came out swinging aggressively and quickly had Paul on his back foot in the first round.
But by the second round Tyson was breathing heavy and by the third round Paul was the aggressor, landing a few big left hooks.
Tyson was slow, hardly able to move or avoid Paul’s onslaught, a sitting duck in the middle of the ring.
He had no legs, losing his balance almost every time he was touched.
Tyson barely threw any punches after the first round.
Despite being a betting underdog, Tyson was the clear favorite in the stadium.
He was greeted like a hero while Paul was booed mercilessly.
But fans left Friday night with a sorry image of what used to be one of the biggest superstars in the world.
Once one of the most feared men in the world, Tyson — if this is the last time he gets in the ring — will have the lasting impression of losing to a social media personality who took up boxing just a few years ago.
By the end, the 72,300 fans were booing both fighters for the lack of action.
Yes, the bout will be a financial success.
Tyson is expected to earn around $20 million, while Paul is expected to bring in $40 million.
The gate (the amount of money generated from ticket sales) surpassed $17.8 million, the biggest boxing gate outside of Las Vegas in U.S. history.
Absurdity sells. But was it worth becoming a laughingstock?
Not even the fewer rounds, shorter rounds and bigger gloves — all stipulations designed to protect Tyson — could help Tyson.
No matter the handcuffs they gave him, it’s clear old men don’t belong in fights.
And if Paul thinks this will help him be taken seriously as a boxer, he should think again.
