The showdown between boxing legend Mike Tyson and YouTuber-turned-boxer Jake Paul might not have lived up to its hype in the ring, but it delivered a jaw-dropping financial knockout.
The event, hosted at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, raked in a staggering $18.1 million gate, setting a record as the highest-grossing combat sports event outside of Las Vegas and placing 10th overall in U.S. history.
Paul’s Most Valuable Promotions (MVP) celebrated the accomplishment, announcing that the event more than doubled the previous Texas record set by Canelo Alvarez and Billy Joe Saunders in 2021, also at AT&T Stadium. Nakisa Bidarian, co-founder of MVP, declared the night a landmark moment for the industry.
“From setting the highest gate outside of Las Vegas in U.S. history to becoming the most-streamed sporting event ever, this event is a testament to the global impact of Jake Paul, Mike Tyson, Katie Taylor, Amanda Serrano, and the incredible athletes on this card,” Bidarian said.
Netflix is happy with its slice of the pie
Netflix, debuting its first live combat sports broadcast, reported an astounding 60 million households tuned in worldwide, peaking at 65 million concurrent streams.
In the U.S., 56% of all television viewing during the 12 a.m. to 1 a.m. ET hour on Saturday was dedicated to Tyson-Paul, cementing it as the most-streamed sporting event in U.S. history.
Despite these triumphs, the event was plagued by controversy. Widespread streaming issues left many fans frustrated, and Tyson’s post-fight revelation about his health added to the drama.
The 57-year-old boxing icon disclosed that just months earlier, he had undergone eight blood transfusions, replacing half his blood volume during a June hospitalization.
Serrano and Taylor stole the night
While the main event fell short of expectations, the co-main event delivered in spectacular fashion. Katie Taylor and Amanda Serrano’s highly anticipated rematch became the most-watched women’s sporting event in U.S. history, drawing nearly 50 million concurrent streams. Their bout is already candidate for Fight of the Year.
The Tyson-Paul card not only broke records but proved that the fusion of celebrity and combat sports continues to captivate audiences worldwide.
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