NBA great Earvin “Magic” Johnson unloaded about Mike Tyson’s defeat to YouTuber Jake Paul in a Netflix-streamed fight, calling it “sad.”
In a post on X, Johnson wrote, “Just sad smh. I cut it off because I couldn’t watch anymore. It’s sad to see Mike Tyson like this because I went to every Tyson fight. This fight tonight was not great for boxing.”
Johnson’s post had 1.8 million views as of November 16, with many fans agreeing with his take in the comment thread. Tyson, 58, lost by unanimous decision in a fight in Texas that many fans described as boring or underwhelming on social media afterwards. Others expressed anger, questioning whether the fight was staged. However, other fans leapt to Tyson’s defense, saying even getting in the ring was an accomplishment because of his age.
During the bout, Tyson barely seemed to get a punch off as the two fighters spent most of their time dancing around the ring and dodging each other’s blows. Paul is 27 years old and, although he got his start on social media as an influencer, he has since built a professional boxing career.
Some Fans Felt Mike Tyson Showed ‘Guts’ by Agreeing to the Match in the 1st Place
GettyMike Tyson attends the weigh-in for LIVE on Netflix: Jake Paul vs. Mike Tyson at the Toyota Music Factory on November 14, 2024.
But some fans disagreed with Johnson. “I disagree with you.. This is truly an example of what age does to anyone,” wrote one person on X. “For Mike Tyson to even step in the ring.. that’s legendary.”
“He has the guts.. that’s what matters,” that fan wrote.
“If that was Mike Tyson fighting at 38, it was sad. To me, at 58, it was expected, not sad. And please don’t say it was a bad look for boxing, cause that wasn’t boxing. It was barely an exhibition of a sport. I had no expectations going in, and my expectations were met,” wrote another fan.
“Anyone with 2 eyes could see that was scripted. All a show for Netflix. THAT’S why it was free,” another fan wrote.
“@Magicjohnson with all respect – this fight was the best thing to ever happen for boxing. The timing can’t get any better. Besides, the issue was not about the winner, but it was about the endurance of a 58 year old legend in the ring,” wrote another fan.
Other Celebrities Weighed in on the Fight
GettyJake Paul poses at a weigh-in before his bout with Mike Tyson.
Other prominent people weighed in on the fight. “Prime @MikeTyson would have destroyed @jakepaul in 90 seconds. A 58yr-old Tyson went 8 rounds against a much fitter and very capable boxer half his age. Mock him all you like, but Mike’s got the heart of a lion, balls of steel, and will always be an absolute legend,” Piers Morgan wrote on X.
“So I sat for 3 hours with my kids trying to watch @MikeTyson v @jakepaul and Netflix is now glitching so hard I feel like it’s the mid 90s where it’s taking 25 minutes to load a basic picture. Ugh,” Donald Trump Jr. wrote on X.
Many fans reported streaming issues with the Netflix live stream, which kept buffering and delivering error messages to users.
“The only winners on this Mike Tyson, Jake paul fight is those who didn’t stay up all night. 1) Netflix problem server😠 2) boring match🤮 What a wasted sleep night 😤” a fan wrote on X.
“Mike Tyson had zero interest in winning that fight and Jake Paul had zero interest in knocking a 58 year old man out. It was a boring and sad exhibition match,” wrote another user.
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