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Andreas Hale, ESPN
You can debate whether Jake Paul is a “real” boxer, but what is not debatable is that the 27-year-old is now the biggest draw in boxing. Paul’s unanimous decision victory over Mike Tyson at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, ended up being a massive success with a record-breaking gate.
The main event that pitted the YouTuber-turned-boxer against an iconic heavyweight champion — paired with a historic co-main event in which Katie Taylor narrowly defeat Amanda Serrano via controversial split decision — was the biggest gate for any boxing or MMA event outside of Las Vegas in U.S. history, according to a statement from Paul’s Most Valuable Promotions.
Over 72,300 fans attended Paul vs. Tyson and brought in $18,117,072 in total revenue. The event, promoted by MVP Promotions and streamed live on Netflix, clocks in as the ninth-highest combat sports gate ever in U.S. history and set a record as the highest-grossing gate at AT&T Stadium for a combat sports event.
The previous Texas gate record was set by Canelo Alvarez’s 2021 showdown with Billy Joe Saunders at $9 million.
As a result of the success of Paul-Tyson, Netflix stock rose 2.8% to close at 847.05 on Monday.
“Paul vs. Tyson and Taylor vs. Serrano 2 rewrote the record books, solidifying Most Valuable Promotions as a trailblazer in combat sports,” Nakisa Bidarian, co-founder of Most Valuable Promotions, said in a statement. “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.”
The event was also a massive success on Netflix, despite widespread streaming issues, with 60 million households tuning in for Netflix’s first foray into live sports.
Off the heels of Paul-Tyson, the streaming giant announced that Beyonce will be performing at halftime of Netflix’s first NFL Christmas Gameday, where the Houston Texans will host the Baltimore Ravens on Dec. 25. Netflix also announced the debut of WWE’s “Monday Night Raw” on the streaming platform will take place on Jan. 6 at Los Angeles’ Intuit Dome and feature a special appearance by Travis Scott.