Jake Paul’s blockbuster bout with Mike Tyson has smashed records to become the most lucrative combat sports event ever held outside of Las Vegas in U.S. history.
The star-studded event, which also featured Katie Taylor vs. Amanda Serrano on the undercard, pulled in a jaw-dropping $18,117,072 (€17,127,880) at the gate, with fans shelling out an average of $304 (€287) per ticket to watch “the Baddest Man on the Planet” make his professional comeback after nearly 20 years.
The financial triumph surpassed the previous record set by Canelo Alvarez vs. Billy Joe Saunders, also in Texas, back in 2021, which generated $9million (€8.5m). Over 72,300 fans attended Paul vs. Tyson, while a further 60 million viewers tuned in on Netflix.
Nakisa Bidarian, co-founder of Most Valuable Promotions, was brimming with excitement as he declared: “Paul vs. Tyson and Taylor vs. Serrano 2 rewrote the record books, solidifying Most Valuable Promotions as a trailblazer in combat sports.
“From setting the highest gate outside of Las Vegas in U.S. history for a combat sports event to becoming the most streamed sporting event in U.S. history, this event is a testament to the global impact of Jake Paul, Mike Tyson, Katie Taylor, Amanda Serrano, and the incredible athletes on this card.
“We’re proud to have partnered with Netflix to deliver an event that brought fans together worldwide and broke many records. The UFC, which I believe to be the greatest combat sports organization of all time, has been in business for 30+ years and they have never put on an event of this magnitude.
(Image: Getty Images)
“We established MVP three years ago and are just getting started. This is what it means to push the boundaries of what’s possible in sports entertainment. Congratulations and thank you to our team and our fans.”
According to BetMGM, the Paul vs. Tyson bout broke betting records, becoming the most bet-on event in combat sports history, outdoing any UFC competition. The matchup saw four times the betting action compared to other major fighting events, with bettors largely backing 58-year-old Tyson to recapture his heyday prowess.
BetMGM data shows that a Tyson win by KO/TKO or DQ at odds of +250 was the favored wager. Streaming giant Netflix boasted significant viewership numbers for the live event, announcing that an impressive 60 million households worldwide watched.
(Image: Sarah Stier/Getty Images for Netflix)
A startling revelation came post-fight from Tyson, who disclosed he nearly lost his life prior to the duel. The original July date was pushed back to November due to a medical emergency suffered by one of the greatest heavyweight boxers of all time
Taking to social media to reflect on the bout, 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 [the] ring one last time.” Opening up about his health scare, he added: “I almost died in June. Had 8 blood transfusions.
“[I] 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.”
