Mike Tyson, left, slaps Jake Paul during a weigh-in ahead of their heavyweight bout, Thursday, Nov. … [+]
It’s fight night and who else to move the needle than 58-year old Mike Tyson? The anticipation, engagement and excitement has been growing as Tyson prepares to match punches, hits and headbutts(?) with 27-year-old Jake Paul, the YouTuber-turned-professional boxer.
Anything for ratings and money, and Netflix is streaming the watch and wager Friday feature for free as it builds and expands its live sports and sports entertainment platform. And celebrity culture events. More than 100 million people are expected to tune for the Tyson-Paul fight from Netflix’s 280 million subscriber list.
“Iron Mike” got the action started early by slapping the social media star at the weigh-in before security jumped in to separate them.
Jake Paul-Mike Tyson Latest Betting Odds
Sports and boxing odds from FanDuel Sportsbook refresh periodically and are subject to change, including on props and live betting. Bet types, odds and terms with listed moneyline odds.
- Mike Tyson (+194) vs. Jake Paul (-245)
- $40 million purse – no title belt
- Nov. 15 at 11 p.m. ET from 80,000 seat AT&T Stadium in Arlington, TX
Featured boxing specials include:
- +145: Mike Tyson to be Knocked Down – any of Rounds 1, 2, 3 or 4
- +480: Jake Paul to Win & both Fighters to be Knocked Down
- +600: Mike Tyson to Win the Fight and Round 5 to Start
FanDuel Sportsbook reports the following betting data less than 12 hours ahead of the Tyson-Paul fight.
- Match Winner by Bet Count: Mike Tyson – 85%, Jake Paul – 15%
- Match Winner by Handle (Money): Tyson – 47%, Paul – 53%
- Most Popular Round Betting Pick: Tyson to Win Fight in Round 1
Bets are not allowed in six states—New York, Colorado, Kentucky, Louisiana, Pennsylvania and Vermont, with some state officials saying the event was untraditional and more like an exhibition.
The originally scheduled fight in July was postponed due to Tyson suffering an ulcer flareup. It’s all led to more media coverage and interest.
Forbes: The fight’s massive audience reveals a broader cultural phenomenon — and a goldmine of insights for leaders and marketers. From exhibition bouts to professional fights for titles like the welterweight title, celebrity boxing has completely rewritten the playbook for capturing and sustaining audience attention.
Mike Tyson (50-6, 44 KOs) last entered the ring in 2020 against Roy Jones Jr., which ended in a split draw. His previous fight was as a 39-year-old in 2005.
Jake Paul (10-1, 7 KOs) has won three straight fights by KO/TKO, and four straight fights overall. He lost a split decision versus Tommy Fury in February 2023.
At a press conference last month, Jake Paul addressed the naysayers and doubters.
“The people think I’m going to get knocked out by this strong, powerful guy,” Paul said. “All the people in my comments say, ‘Look at his power. He’s going to get KO’d.’ … This has taken a chance to fight somebody as vicious as Mike can be. You got to risk it for the biscuit. That’s the name of the game, and I’m here for the challenge and to make history.”
Many of the leading online sportsbooks are offering combined betting bonuses of more than $5,000 with DraftKings, FanDuel, BetMGM, Caesars and BetESPN sparring for interest and handle on tonight’s featured fight and the underdcard fights.
Boxing and combat sports reporter and insider Kevin Iole notes that the Tyson-Paul fight presents another opportunity for boxing to revinvent itself.
The undercard and boxing matchups are generating more wagering interest thanks to the headliner Tyson-Paul fight.
- Katie Taylor (+160), champion) vs. Amanda Serrano (-198), for the undisputed lightweight title
- Abel Ramos (+700) vs. Mario Barrios (-1200, champion), for the WBC welterweight title
- Milinda Watpool (+198) vs. Shadasia Green (-280), for the vacant WBO super middleweight title
- Armando Casamonica (+500) vs. Lucas Bahdi (-900), lightweight
- Dana Coolwell (+590) vs. Bruce Carrington (-1300), featherweight
- Whindersson Nunes (+320) vs. Neeraj Goyat (-480), middleweight
What will the Tyson-Paul fight mean to the future of boxing? Replies to The Athletic mailbag and it’s live updates from select boxing fans suggest it being more than a money grab.
“Paul is a fraud and Mike is well past his post-prime, so there may be more clinching and running than fighting. This is really a media event, not a true sports contest, just like the Mayweather-McGregor “Money Fight”.
“This is just another example of boxing’s precipitous decline as a legitimate sport. MMA has all but replaced it and MMA is awful for the same reasons. Boxing has lost its luster, but that’s another story… I’m rooting for a simultaneous double knockout, and hoping both of them disappear from the sports pages.”
Also next month, Netflix has sold out all available in-game ad inventory for its two NFL games on Christmas day. Kansas City Chiefs at Pittsburgh Steelers and Baltimore Ravens at Houston Texans. FanDuel will be the exclusive pregame sportsbook betting partner with a sponsored in-show feature that will include game analysis and predictions based on FanDuel’s betting odds.
Tonight’s Tyson-Paul fight is a promotional spectacle that appeals to boxing purists and casual fans alike. Win, lose or draw, Tyson and Paul are proving that today’s fights are as much about the narrative outside the ring as the punches inside it.
You can bet on it.
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