On Saturday, Paul earned the most notable victory of his burgeoning career to date as he comfortably defeated Mike Tyson at the AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas.
Broadcast worldwide on Netflix in a first for the streaming platform, Paul easily defeated the former heavyweight king, consistently keeping out of range and offering little opportunity for Tyson to mount any real offence.
Against an opponent 31 years his junior, Tyson managed to land just 18 punches throughout the eight-round clash resulting in defeat in his first professional fight since 2005.
AFL star Scott Pendlebury slammed the event, posting a poll before the fight asking ‘Will anyone watch the Mike Tyson fight today?’.
Then when the bout had concluded, he added: ‘Watched the first 3 rounds! That was terrible! Grab the money and run job.’
AFL star Scott Pendlebury has called out ‘con job’ Jake Paul after his fight against Mike Tyson
Jake Paul defeated Mike Tyson on Friday night to improve his professional record to 11-1
The footy star then called out Paul, posting: ‘Jake Paul is a con job! I’d happily ‘box’ him for 8 rounds. Would need 2 maximum.’
Other Aussie athletes were also left disappointed by the bout.
When asked by a follower ‘Who won? I missed it’, former NBA star and Australian Olympian Andrew Bogut bluntly replied ‘Netflix’.
Another Aussie Olympics star Shane Heal was equally unimpressed.
‘I’m not sure what else people expected but this is bad,’ he posted during the fight.
NRL star Jackson Hastings accused Paul of going too soft on Tyson to avoid hurting the ageing superstar.
Both fighters wore 14oz training gloves for the bout while rounds were reduced to two minutes as well.
‘I don’t mind Jake. But there was definitely a no knock out cause, no one wanted to see Mike KO’d,’ the former Knights playmaker posted.
Pendlebury says he would only need two rounds to beat Jake Paul
Mike Tyson released an emotional statement following his defeat by Jake Paul in Dallas
It wasn’t just Australians that found the Tyson bout ‘sad’.
English former professional boxer Tony Bellew said it was obvious Paul had pulled his punches to avoid a PR nightmare by knocking out Tyson.
‘I don’t like this stupid idiot kid but I will say this … he stopped beating on Mike there and showed him some respect and dignity by letting him survive,’ he posted.
On Sunday morning, Tyson released an emotional statement and explained why it felt like he ‘won’ his fight against Jake Paul.
Tyson wrote: ‘This is one of those situations when you lost but still won.
‘I’m grateful for last night. No regrets to get in ring one last time.
‘I almost died in June. Had 8 blood transfusions. Lost half my blood and 25lbs in hospital and had to fight to get healthy to fight so I won.
‘To have my children see me stand toe to toe and finish 8 rounds with a talented fighter half my age in front of a packed Dallas Cowboy stadium is an experience that no man has the right to ask for. Thank you’.
