Jake Paul and Mike Tyson’s highly anticipated heavyweight boxing match was a massive success, with an estimated 60 million households tuning in globally to watch the event. According to data shared by Netflix, the fight peaked at 65 million concurrent streams, making it one of the most-watched events in recent history.
Netflix also reported that 50 million households worldwide watched the co-main event between Serrano and Taylor 2, with the streamer predicting that it will go down as one of the most-watched professional women’s sporting events in US history once final numbers are tallied.
In the main event, Jake Paul, 27, emerged victorious over former world heavyweight champion Mike Tyson, 58, in a unanimous decision after eight intense rounds of boxing. The event set a new record for the biggest boxing gate outside of Las Vegas in US history, with the gate for Paul vs. Tyson surpassing $18 million.
Apart from the headline fight, fans were treated to a thrilling rematch between Katie Taylor and Amanda Serrano, with Taylor securing a controversial unanimous decision victory over Serrano. The event also featured other exciting matchups, including Mario Barrios vs. Abel Ramos for the WBC welterweight world title, which ended in a split draw, and Neeraj Goyat defeating Whindersson Nunes via unanimous decision.
Netflix’s foray into live events has been gaining momentum, with successful ventures like stand-up specials from Chris Rock and Joe Rogan, as well as unique events like The Netflix Cup and The Netflix Slam. Up next, the streaming giant will broadcast two live NFL games on Christmas Day 2024 and will also be the new home for WWE’s flagship weekly live show “Raw” starting in January.
While exact comparisons of viewership numbers for Paul vs. Tyson to other Netflix live events are challenging due to the platform’s limited release of ratings information, previous events like Joe Rogan’s special and Chris Rock’s special have seen significant traction on the Global Top 10 lists.
Despite the success of the event, technical issues plagued the Paul-Tyson fight card, with many users experiencing lagging and buffering problems. This is not the first time Netflix has faced such challenges during live events, with previous instances like the delayed availability of the “Love Is Blind” reunion special causing frustration among subscribers.
Overall, the Paul vs. Tyson event showcased the growing popularity of live events on Netflix and solidified the platform as a major player in the live sports and entertainment landscape.
