Jake Paul cruises to a one-sided decision over Mike Tyson

ARLINGTON, Texas – Mike Tyson’s long-awaited return to the boxing ring left “The Baddest Man on the Planet” short for YouTuber-turned-prizefighter Jake Paul.

Although Tyson was a massive fan favorite, the fight proved that Father Time remains undefeated. Tyson struggled to create any significant offense as Paul peppered him with jabs throughout the eight 2-minute rounds and scored a unanimous decision victory Friday night at AT&T Stadium.

At Thursday’s weigh-in, Tyson punched Paul in the face after Paul stepped on his foot during the final look down. It turned out to be the biggest strike that Tyson landed. The judges scored the match 80-72, 79-73 and 79-73 for Paul.

Tyson, 58, returned to the ring for his first fight as a professional since losing to Kevin McBride on June 11, 2005. Tyson had recently faced Roy Jones Jr. in an exhibition in 2020 where he impressed with his performance and set the stage for a battle with Paul.

But Tyson (50-7, 44 KOs, 2 NCs) lacked his signature explosiveness and wore a knee brace that compromised his mobility.

Paul, 27, was originally due to face Tyson on July 20, but the fight was postponed after the former heavyweight champion was sidelined after suffering a flare-up on a flight. Instead of waiting, Paul took a fight with former UFC fighter and current BKFC competitor Mike Perry and scored a sixth round TKO.

Paul (11-1, 7 KOs) did not knock out Tyson, who is 31 years his senior. Instead, Paul used lateral movement and routinely jabbed Tyson with the jab. Neither fighter was in particular danger, but Paul remained in control throughout and pulled out the win.