A completely unexpected moment unfolded during the live broadcast of the much-awaited Jake Paul vs. Mike Tyson boxing match at AT&T Stadium in Dallas, Texas.
Before the fight—which left many fans disappointed—the Netflix audience got treated to a surprising view of Tyson’s fully uncovered and uncensored butt.
The incident took place during an interview the legendary boxer was giving in his locker room ahead of the fight, sharing his opinion on the preceding bout between Katie Taylor and Amanda Serrano. When the camera zoomed out, it inadvertently revealed the 58-year-old’s bare backside as he walked away.
“Bro, what the f—!?” said Paul shaking his head in disbelief, who was in his own dressing room warming up with the Netflix stream in the background.
“That shot was totally unnecessary,” wrote one viewer. “I still can’t believe Netflix aired that.”
Netizens are laughing at Jake Paul’s reaction to Mike Tyson’s bare backside after Netflix cameras filmed the athlete walking away with no pants
Adding to the confusion was the fact that many users started experiencing buffering issues while streaming, which coincided with Tyson’s anatomy being shown on screen. This meant that for many viewers the image of his backside was frozen on their TVs as the service tried to catch up.
“The most impressive thing about this video is that Jake somehow actually got @netflix to stream the feed while the rest of us got nonstop buffering,” a user wrote.
“That was the best moment of the entire fight,” another stated, pointing to the mixed-to-negative reception the bout received. Many were disappointed by the way in which the competition unfolded, with 58-year-old Tyson struggling to keep up with his 27-year-old opponent.
Despite their moment-to-moment performance, both boxers “went the distance,” with the fight lasting for 8 rounds and ultimately ending in favor of Jake Paul by unanimous decision. The three judge scores were 80-72, 79-73, and 79-73, all in favor of the younger athlete.
Sports anchors have labeled the fight as a “sad” affair and accused Jake Paul of holding back to avoid humiliating his 58-year-old opponent
Among the fight’s harshest critics was sports journalist Stephen A. Smith who stated that the bout was outright “sad to watch” during an appearance on ESPN’s First Take.
Smith explained how the legendary boxer, despite his intimidating reputation, seemed a shadow of his former self. “He looked old, he looked slow,” the journalist said, noting how Tyson stumbled while walking to the ring.
Smith attributed Tyson’s deteriorated physical condition to the boxer’s recent health struggles, which included blood transfusions and significant weight loss leading up to the event. “I’m happy to hear he’s better health-wise, but he looked bad,” Smith said.
Jake Paul’s live reaction to Netflix flashing Mike Tyson’s cheeks on the broadcast 💀 pic.twitter.com/aamw3sJKr8
— Happy Punch (@HappyPunch) November 18, 2024
The journalist went as far as to suggest that Jake Paul pulled his punches during the fight to avoid knocking the 58-year-old out, out of respect for his legacy.
“I believe that when Jake Paul was in the ring with Mike Tyson, there was something that said to him, ‘I can’t do this. I’m not going to try to knock him out. He’s 31 years older than me,’” Smith speculated.
Smith urged Paul to start fighting against active competitors comparable to his age and condition, arguing that his antics are doing the sport more harm than good
Smith also touched on where the internet celebrity-turned-boxer should go after his bout with Tyson, expressing frustration at Paul’s choice of opponents.
While he recognized the 27-year-old’s ability to draw large crowds and generate excitement around his fights, he urged the boxer to compete against opponents closer to his age and condition, who are active contenders.
“You can’t continue to build a career without getting in the ring with real fighters,” Smith said, pointing to Paul’s past opponents, who were mainly non-boxers and retired athletes.
“At some point in time, you’ve got to fight real boxers,” he continued, mentioning, alongside his co-host Shannon Sharpe, that these types of events actually do more harm than good to the sport in the long run.
Echoing similar sentiments was former professional kickboxer and internet personality Andrew Tate who said that Paul “needs to be taught a lesson,” and offered to fight him in the future. Despite his criticisms, he recognized the 27-year-old’s ability to draw crowds, praising him for making people “care” about boxing.
Netizens were left confused by the shot of the boxer’s bare backside which, coupled with their connection issues and the quality of the fight, left a sour taste in their mouths
“They shouldn’t have filmed that man,” one said. “The entire production was a joke.”
“This entire circus fight was a damn joke,” a viewer wrote.
Others theorized that the shot was intentional, and an attempt at getting viewers to laugh at the retired boxer.
“This was a humiliation ritual,” another stated. “They did Mike dirty.”
“They knew to be watching. Humiliation was part of the contract.”
“Jake Paul’s reaction says it all—Netflix went too far.”
“That was unnecessary.” Viewers criticized the shot of Tyson’s backside, believing it was a deliberate attempt to make fun of the boxing legend
