Boxing fans say Mike Tyson and Jake Paul delivered the "Heist of the Century" following their Netflix fight. The fight, which featured presumed bad blood in the lead-up, ultimately ended with the pair parading around as "best friends" at Donald Trump's inauguration party.
The live-streamed Netflix fight was held at AT&T Stadium in Dallas, Texas, and saw Paul secure an easy unanimous decision victory against the former heavyweight champion. Leading up to the match, tensions appeared anything but friendly, with the 57-year-old Tyson dismissing Paul as "a good little fighter" and promising to bring his signature aggression, saying, "My intention is to hurt this young man."
Paul responded by vowing to knock out the legendary boxer and ramping up the trash talk during press conferences and on social media. The pre-fight theatrics escalated dramatically during the weigh-in when Paul accidentally stepped on Tyson's foot, prompting the older fighter to slap him in the face. Paul fired back with a profanity-loaded tirade, promising to deliver a knockout performance. By the time the bell rang, the animosity between the two seemed real.
Post-fight optics painted a completely different picture on Instagram Monday night at an exclusive party in Washington, D.C., celebrating Trump's presidential inauguration. Both wore sleek suits and posed for photos before a cheering crowd. Paul also hoisted Tyson onto his shoulders while the veteran boxer raised his fist in the air as the crowd cheered the new friends on.
Paul later posted the image on IG, captioning it "Best friends" and tagging Tyson, further fueling the belief that both competitors held back on fight night among fans. Online reactions ranged from amused to outraged, as Paul earned an estimated $40 million for the fight, and Tyson took home $20 million.
"They played us for millions," one fan wrote, while another commented, "Rigged fight = money and friendship." Critics accused the pair of staging the animosity to maximize viewership for their Netflix-streamed event, and another said, "We didn’t even pay, but I feel like somehow they still robbed us."
The backlash prompted Paul's promotional company, Most Valuable Promotions [MVP], to issue a statement addressing the allegations not long after the fight. "Rigging a professional boxing match is a federal crime," the statement read. "Paul vs. Tyson was a professional match sanctioned by the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulations. Both fighters, in good faith performed to the best of their abilities with the goal of winning the fight."
With no rematch seemingly in the works, Paul set his sights on 10 targets for his next matchup, including a mix of boxing champions, UFC Stars, and old rivals. Paul's list includes undefeated boxing champion Floyd Maywather Jr, power puncher Ryan Garcia, and UFC light heavyweight champion Alex Pereira.
