Mike Tyson’s much-anticipated return to the ring ended in a decisive defeat on Friday as YouTuber-turned-boxer Jake Paul claimed a dominant unanimous decision victory at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas.
The 58-year-old Tyson struggled throughout the eight-round contest, landing only a few significant punches. Judges scored the fight heavily in favor of the 27-year-old Paul, with tallies of 80-72, 79-73, and 79-73.
Paul utilized his superior speed and agility to outmaneuver the aging former heavyweight champion.
In the third round, a flurry of punches left Tyson momentarily in trouble, though Paul ultimately fell short of delivering the knockout he had vowed to achieve during the heated weigh-in, where Tyson had slapped him.
Despite flashes of his legendary grit, Tyson showed his age in the ring. Fight stats revealed Tyson landed just 18 of 97 punches, compared to Paul’s 78 of 278.
As the final seconds ticked away in the eighth round, Paul even took a moment to bow respectfully toward Tyson before the bell signaled the end of the fight.
