Chude Uzoka-Anofienem, Staff Writer

After a four-month delay, tons of hype and a three-episode Netflix docuseries leading up to the event, Jake Paul and Mike Tyson finally stepped up to each other one-on-one in the ring in gloved glory. If you were expecting fireworks, you’re left with a wet Roman candle sputtering two sparks before malfunctioning. Nobody was satisfied. Those who were looking forward to seeing Mike Tyson turn back the clock and knock ‘Fake’ Paul’s head clean off, didn’t end up getting what they wanted, as Tyson landed about 18 punches in total over the course of eight rounds.

The few, and I mean very few, who wanted to see Paul knock out Tyson, didn’t get their wish either, as Paul tapped away at an old man and didn’t exert much force beyond that. Of course, provided you were even able to watch the event live. The Netflix broadcast suffered from all sorts of technical difficulties and buffering problems. At some points, the broadcast turned into a near-slideshow. The livestream was so shoddy, a Florida man is taking Netflix to court over it. 

The response from many people who watched eight, two-minute rounds of two people basically staring at each other, is that the fight was rigged. In the corrupt world of professional boxing, that claim isn’t too far fetched and the sport has a history of fixed fights. Many people believe the results of two bouts between Muhammad Ali (Cassius Clay as he was then known) and Sonny Liston, which spawned one of the most iconic photos in the entire history of the sport, were fixed. More to the point, I don’t think this fight was rigged. At least, not in the way some people are claiming. Many Tyson fans believe that he was simply holding back, throwing fewer punches and missing many opportunities to knock out Paul. 

We’re talking about a 58-year-old man who is way past his prime. From what I can recall, the last performance Tyson gave where he was truly dominant was back in 2003, when he was 36 and still past his prime then. It had been nearly 28 years since he last held a world title since losing the WBA Heavyweight belt to Evander Holyfield in 1996. Not only that, but the medical emergency he suffered that delayed the fight in July, he says nearly killed him. Every boxer is different, but for a slugger like Tyson, his power is generated from rotation and extension of his rear leg, hip rotation, arm extension and the stiffening of his fist upon impact. 

Years before Mike Tyson was the heavyweight champion, the legendary Cus D’Amato began training him for punching power when Mike was just 13 years old, honing his natural quickness to maximize the force behind his punches. He also focused on enhancing Mike’s already formidable natural strength. Tyson, especially during his heyday, became known for his ability to unleash rapid combinations of punches, delivering them with exceptional speed and precision. 

The faster something moves, the more forceful the impact, and Mike’s hand speed was extraordinary for a heavyweight—rivaled by only a rare few in the sport’s history. Tyson at 58 simply can’t replicate this anymore, especially after years of not training and being sick. Tyson looked great in those training videos that we saw in the years leading up to this fight, but that was back when Tyson was healthier and not struggling to do what used to come naturally.

If any part of this was rigged, it would be Jake Paul admitting he was holding back in the fight, saying that he “wanted to give the fans a show, but I didn’t want to hurt someone that didn’t need to be hurt.” I ultimately think Netflix suffered the biggest blow to its reputation, not Tyson or Paul. Sure, they raked in loads of money for what was the most-streamed global sporting event ever with 65 million live concurrent streams and 108 million total live viewers around the world, according to the Netflix release, but by all accounts, it was simply a huge disappointment that hardly anybody will ever want to go back to. Imagine if this fight was a pay-per-view (PPV) and you paid $50-$75 just to watch these two standing around doing nothing. I’d be feeling pretty ripped off, wouldn’t you? If this were scripted or staged, why not script a few knockouts to make it more interesting?

I have a theory as to why people think this fight was staged. Many people just can’t come to grips with the fact that as you age, you become a shell of your former self. I bet any Gen X or older millennial who watched that fight thinks they can beat Jake Paul or any other fighter around the same age as him. They start to become like Balboa in “Rocky VI.” Worry about your skills deteriorating with age, and then take a load-off on that Posturepedic mattress.