Jake Paul claimed he purposely held back during his fight against boxing legend Mike Tyson, stating he didn’t want to hurt the 58-year-old during their heavily hyped match, which aired on Netflix Friday night. Speaking at the post-fight press conference, Paul explained, “I wanted to give the fans a show, but I didn’t want to hurt someone that didn’t need to be hurt.”
The 27-year-old YouTuber-turned-boxer secured a unanimous decision victory but said Tyson struggled to keep up by the third round. Despite Paul’s efforts to entertain, fans booed during the later rounds, prompting him to address the lack of action. “I couldn’t really get him to engage me or slip shots and do something super cool or whatever, but I don’t care about what people have to say,” Paul remarked. “He was just surviving.”
While Paul downplayed Tyson’s punches during the fight, claiming, “No one’s punches have really hurt,” he faced criticism for what some viewed as a lackluster performance. However, the matchup drew a star-studded crowd, with celebrities like Charlize Theron, Shaquille O’Neal, Joe Jonas, and Rosie Perez in attendance.
The lead-up to the fight was as dramatic as the bout itself, with Tyson slapping Paul during the pre-match weigh-in after the influencer stepped on his toes. Tyson, unapologetic, told The Post, “He stepped on my toe because he is a f–king a–hole.” Paul shrugged off the altercation, saying, “I didn’t feel a thing.”
Despite mixed reviews of the fight, Paul’s victory continues to fuel his controversial boxing career, while Tyson’s return to the ring added another chapter to his storied legacy.
