It was a fight that saw Jake Paul do what many in the world thought impossible: shut the door on one of the greatest heavyweights of all time, Mike Tyson. Taking place at the iconic AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, it all ended on a unanimous decision. Judges scored the match 80-72, 79-73, and 79-73 in favor of Paul. Broadcast live on Netflix, the event wasn’t just big for the boxing world but also marked milestones both in steaming and entertainment.
From the moment it started, one could tell that Paul had come prepared and ready to prove his mettle. With most fans predicting Tyson’s experience to take over, stamina, precision, and strategy woke up in favor of Paul as he rolled out the tide. With every round, more and more of his capabilities came through with how he adapted and held himself against one of boxing’s biggest names. The crowd at AT&T Stadium erupted with excitement, and with every clean hit, it became increasingly clear that Paul wasn’t just another influencer dabbling in boxing—he was rewriting the script of the sport.
The biggest of Tyson’s supporters that night was Drake, who lost $355,000 after placing a hefty bet on the boxing legend. The loss added another chapter to what fans jokingly call the “Drake Curse,” a running gag suggesting the rapper’s bets and endorsements often lead to failure. Though Drake has scored big wins-a $2.2 million payout betting on UFC fighters Paddy Pimblett and Molly McCann, for example-he’s also taken some significant Ls. Among this spate of high-profile misses is a $2 million bet on Israel Adesanya and another pegged at $1.2 million waged on Jake Paul in his last fight with Tommy Fury.
However, Drake was not alone in betting on Tyson, as UFC superstar Conor McGregor placed an insane $1.3 million bet on the heavyweight icon. That hit very sour for McGregor to see him lose, considering he has become so accustomed to making high-stakes bets. Known for placing bets on himself in UFC fights, such as his $1 million winning bet he placed at UFC 246, this time around his gamble did not go as well. The defeat not only hit McGregor’s wallet but was also pointed out as one great aspect of combat sports.
While the action was keeping fans on their toes in the ring, for those at home, it became quite another story. Netflix’s heavily hyped version to livestream the fight was plagued by widespread technical difficulties. Such problems included buffering, freezing, and lagging video quality. Angry fans immediately took to social media, with #NetflixGraveyard trending in hours. It culminated in an apology by Netflix, promising a fix for future live events. Thankfully, the actual fight lived up to all the drama that its fans could have wished for.
The victory of Jake Paul against Mike Tyson cemented a cornerstone in his career, as well as in the big boxing world. From being called a YouTuber attention-seeker, Paul has grown piece by piece to prove himself as an agile competitor. His success in the ring renews debates about the legitimacy of influencer boxing-some purists criticize it as a spectacle, while others praise the way it brings fresh energy and a new audience to the sport.
The night also pushed to center stage the growing celebrity betting phenomenon. Names like Drake and McGregor himself gave a further degree of mystique to the event, merging the glitter of Hollywood with the raw emotion of sport. For fans, these bets raise the stakes, turning every punch into a make-or-break moment-not for the fighters, but also for the celebrities putting their reputations and money on the line.
