‘Record breaking’ 60m homes watched Tyson vs Paul fight, Netflix says

Netflix has reported a record-breaking 60 million households tuned in to watch the highly anticipated live boxing match between Mike Tyson and Jake Paul. The streaming giant’s first venture into live sports, which was offered free to subscribers, is being hailed as a success in terms of viewership. However, technical difficulties and mixed reactions to the fight itself have overshadowed the event for many fans.

The bout, held at AT&T Stadium in Texas, saw 58-year-old Tyson, a former world heavyweight champion, face off against 27-year-old YouTuber-turned-fighter Paul. Despite Tyson’s legendary status, Paul managed to secure a victory, which generated a massive amount of media coverage. Tyson’s fame and Paul’s popularity with younger audiences helped draw attention to the fight, and the ringside audience included celebrities like Charlize Theron, Ralph Macchio, Joe Jonas, and Hasan Minhaj.

According to Netflix, the fight attracted 60 million households globally, setting a new benchmark for live sports streaming on the platform. Initially, Jake Paul claimed that 120 million people had tuned in worldwide, but Netflix later clarified that 60 million households had watched the fight. Further detailed viewership statistics are expected to be released in the coming days.

While the event made waves in the media and across social platforms, not all viewers were able to enjoy it. Many reported technical issues, including frequent buffering and difficulties accessing the live stream. For some, the issues persisted throughout the event, making it “unwatchable,” as one viewer described. Other viewers expressed frustration on social media, calling the experience a “disaster,” with one person writing, “Had all my friends over to watch the Tyson vs. Paul fight. Not loading.”

Brendan Ashford, a viewer from Devon, England, shared his experience with BBC News. He had stayed up late to catch the fight, eager to see how Tyson, at 58, would fare against a much younger opponent. However, after struggling to access the stream for nearly an hour, Ashford gave up. “It was really disappointing,” he said. “I kept trying for a good hour before I gave up.” He also expressed concern over Netflix’s ability to handle future live sports events, saying the technical issues were damaging to the streaming service’s reputation.

On social media, fans vented their frustrations, posting videos and images showing the fight failing to load or buffering during key moments. “Shame on Netflix for not being able to handle the streaming of the Mike Tyson vs Jake Paul fight,” one user wrote, while another complained that the lagging made the fight “unwatchable to long-time subscribers.” One person asked, “Did Netflix not have enough time to prepare for the Tyson/Paul fight?”

Netflix’s technical troubles are not a new issue. Last year, the company faced backlash after a highly anticipated livestream of its reality show Love Is Blind was delayed due to a glitch. At the time, Netflix apologized, citing an unclear technical problem. This latest streaming debacle raises questions about the platform’s ability to handle high-demand live events, particularly as it looks to expand its sports offerings.

Chris Stokel-Walker, a tech reporter, explained that the overwhelming demand for the Tyson-Paul fight likely exceeded Netflix’s capacity. “Netflix has done live broadcasting before, but this fight was so hyped, there were so many viewers wanting to watch,” he said. Stokel-Walker pointed out that the fight attracted attention not only from boxing fans but also from casual viewers drawn by the personalities involved—Tyson’s return to the ring and Paul’s massive social media following. “There was additional demand well above and beyond your average live event,” he added.

Netflix’s future plans include a deal with WWE for live sports events starting next year, and Stokel-Walker emphasized that the company needs to address these technical issues quickly. “If they’re going to get into the live sports world, they need to be prepared for this kind of volume,” he said. The Tyson-Paul fight was one of Netflix’s most high-profile live events, making the streaming glitches particularly concerning for both fans and the company.

With growing ambitions in live sports, Netflix must prove that it can handle the scale of high-profile events like the Tyson-Paul fight. As Stokel-Walker put it, “People will be watching this and wondering: Can they cope?”