By YouTube star Jake Paul thoroughly outboxed an aging Mike Tyson on Friday night, winning a lopsided unanimous decision over the 58-year-old former heavyweight champion in their exhibition bout at AT&T Stadium.
Paul, 27, dominated the eight-round contest, with judges scoring the fight 80-72, 79-73, and 79-73 in his favor. The social media celebrity-turned-boxer utilized superior speed and movement to control the action against Tyson, who showed little of the explosive power that once made him boxing’s most feared fighter.
The decisive victory came just one day after a heated weigh-in where Tyson slapped Paul across the face, adding drama to the already controversial matchup. Despite Paul’s pre-fight promises of a knockout, he was unable to stop the former undisputed heavyweight champion, though he had Tyson in trouble during a sustained attack in the third round.
Final punch statistics highlighted Paul’s dominance, as he landed 78 of 278 punches thrown, while Tyson connected on just 18 of his 97 attempts. The former champion, looking every bit his age, struggled to land meaningful shots throughout the contest.
In a show of respect, Paul bowed to Tyson in the closing seconds of the final round, acknowledging the legend’s status in the sport despite the one-sided nature of their encounter.
The result adds another notable victory to Paul’s unconventional boxing career while raising questions about the wisdom of allowing aging boxing legends to return to the ring, even in exhibition matches.
