One of the most heavily anticipated fights of the year has seemingly appeared out of thin air. Recently, fans were left stunned after the announcement of Jake Paul vs Mike Tyson. Whilst everyone is having second thoughts about the fight, one person believes that there is more to the fight than meets the eye.
Previously, Most Valuable Promotions and Netflix announced a combat sports first partnership. Setting the stage for a boxing mega-event headlined by Jake Paul and Mike Tyson, the fight will be streamed live globally, exclusively on Netflix. Moreover, the event will be live out of the 80,000-seat capacity AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, home to the NFL’s Dallas Cowboys.
It’s JAKE PAUL vs. MIKE TYSON — yes, really! — in a LIVE BOXING event at AT&T Stadium you won’t want to miss. Airing live on Netflix Saturday, July 20 #PaulTyson pic.twitter.com/ULXVeCYeH6
— Netflix (@netflix) March 7, 2024
Coming into this one, there has been a lot of controversy regarding the fight for obvious reasons. Considering that Mike Tyson is now 57 years old, he should be nowhere near a boxing ring. With that said, the obvious talking point amidst all the buzz has been the involvement of Netflix and its potential to branch out into the world of combat sports.
Chael Sonnen praises the promotion of Jake Paul vs Mike Tyson
For the most part, many were caught a little off guard by the scale of the Jake Paul vs Mike Tyson fight. Judging by the initial trailer itself, the involvement of Netflix was quite evident. As such, it painted a clear picture of what people can expect from the production of Jake Paul vs Mike Tyson. However, one man believes that the fight is only the start of something much much bigger.
In a recent video, UFC legend Chael Sonnen spoke about how Jake Paul’s latest fight puts him a step above what he has been in the past. On the same hand, Netflix, realizing the scale of the influencer’s plan, has willingly hopped on board.
“I do wanna see what they are doing here. Regardless, if this turns a profit or it doesn’t, they’re working the kink out over at Netflix. They have an idea, they’re moving forward, they’re playing a different game.
“Eventually, they’ve got to figure out why and what is it about, and once they get there, bring it to the audience. Let that story be told”.
According to the former UFC man, Jake’s next fight pits him against ‘The Baddest Man on the Planet’, although a much more withered version of him. However, the fight supposedly brings him a step closer to his ultimate goal, which is fighting Canelo Alvarez and becoming a world champion in boxing. As such, Chael believes that Canelo will be the chosen one to put an end to Paul’s rampage.
Why and how is Netflix involved in Jake Paul vs Mike Tyson?
With that said, the involvement of Netflix has clearly taken things up a notch. One of the biggest streaming companies in the world, Netflix boasts an undeniable reach of over 260 million paid memberships in over 190 countries. Thus, it automatically places Jake Paul vs Mike Tyson in the eyes of millions of people worldwide. However, many may wonder why is the OTT platform stepping in now.
For the most part, Showtime and Disney+ are examples of streaming companies that have gotten into live sports in the past. Whilst only a few have taken on combat sports, its growth in recent years has seemingly piqued the attention of Netflix, arguably the biggest name in the business. As such, the broadcasting giants have likely been waiting for the perfect fight to come along.
As the stars would have it, a blockbuster matchup touted since 2022, has fallen right in their lap. By now, it is well established that Jake Paul vs Mike Tyson will do mega numbers, and by doing so, put Netflix in pole position for opportunities from other parties. Notably, Netflix’s recent involvement has also caught the attention of Dana White, who will have an interesting choice to make once the UFC’s current TV deal with ESPN is up.