What we thought would be an EPIC boxing main event on Friday between the legendary Iron Mike Tyson and influencer-turned-boxer Jake Paul was a complete DUD. Many fans thought we would see vintage Tyson, perhaps a first-round knockout. But alas, Iron Mike at 58 boxed how we thought a 58-year-old would box — showing flashes in the first round but seemingly unable to take over the fight in true old-school Tyson fashion.
Between the constant bear-hugging between the two combatants and Netflix’s streaming issues, Jessie Coffield asked Mike Golic Sr. and Mike Golic Jr. what they thought about Friday night’s spectacle and whether or not the lack of action was a part of the script. Before the crew could break down the main event, Senior expressed his AMAZEMENT at the battle between Katie Taylor and Amanda Serrano. In fact with hindsight being 20/20. he said that the fight between Taylor and Serrano should have been the main event as the two fighters battled to the end in a controversial split decision that saw Taylor retain her undisputed world light welterweight championship.
Getting back to the actual main event, Senior didn’t think there was a script or that the fight was rigged. He just thinks everyone thought Tyson’s old man strength would show, given how hard he trained and prepared for this fight, and what we got was just an old man. Senior said that Tyson, at 58 and wearing a knee sleeve, showed an inability to be mobile in the ring and it seemed as the fight progressed he was trying to conserve his energy. Additionally, Senior acknowledged that despite the public’s opinion on the polarizing Paul, he commended him for his hard work and not taking advantage of Tyson when it looked like he did not have much in the tank.
GoJo described the fight as not a true contest but more of a nostalgic event that played on fans’ hopes of seeing Tyson recapture his former glory against a disliked YouTuber. But those were never realistic expectations, especially with Tyson nearing 60 years old, dealing with health issues and lacking mobility. GoJo admitted we all may have gotten duped by the drug of nostalgia on this one, likely leaving fans with little desire to watch similar exhibitions in the future. Senior credited Paul for playing the game and said he deserves credit for mastering the business side of building attention around a fight. Senior added he is getting BIG PAYDAYS while avoiding top contenders despite talking like he’s ready to fight an active professional fighter. Most of his opponents were MMA fighters or older athletes. Senior even joked about who he could fight next — actors like Michael B. Jordan or Sylvester Stallone from the Rocky and Creed series. Paul acts like he’s preparing for a real contender, but for now, he’s making money off these exhibition-style bouts.
"[These Jake Paul fights] have reached the category that the Untold documentaries on Netflix did where they have failed to deliver so often for me that I have no desire to watch this in the future.
It took advantage of the nostalgia of Mike Tyson. Not what we thought would… pic.twitter.com/nebsscgNYb
— GoJo and Golic (@GoJoandGolic) November 18, 2024
GoJo says he’s not sure why we would give future Paul fights attention because despite delivering name-brand conversation before the event, once the bell rang it delivered almost nothing. While these fights generate buzz and perform well for content, he feels disillusioned. He compares it to watching the Netflix Untold documentary Swamp Kings and realizing key parts of the story, like Aaron Hernandez, were ignored. For an event built on nostalgia and hope, Senior says it became clear in the first round that the magic fans were hoping for just wasn’t there.
The biggest takeaway from the fight was not necessarily what took place in the ring but the constant buffering glitches the stream endured. Although one unexpected thing viewers did get to see and GoJo jokes about, was a pre-fight interview which ended with us all catching a glimpse of more of Mike Tyson than any of us wanted to see. But GoJo says let’s call this what it really was — a test case for Netflix, which will be streaming multiple NFL games on Christmas Day. And not just any games, actual good games that people will want to see. Not to mention the kicker that Beyonce will be performing during halftime of the Ravens-Texans game. As Senior points out, you got the BeyHive tuning in now so you best not be buffering.
This isn’t the first time Netflix has struggled with delivering a live feed, with GoJo recalling the debacle of the live Love Is Blind reunion several years ago which experienced notable delays. He says if you’re Netflix you got to go to work, because if you’re trying to build a long-term relationship with the NFL you have to nail the experience for these Christmas Day games because lots of eyeballs are going to be on them. These games are going to matter and Netflix has to deliver. There may not be 60 million viewers watching these NFL games, but it could be a one and done if Netflix can’t pass the test and Beyonce is buffering like a lump of coal in our collective stockings on Christmas Day.
Watch or listen to the full show below and make sure to tune into GoJo and Golic weekday mornings from 8-10 a.m. ET on DraftKings Network! See more about how to watch DraftKings Network here. Also, subscribe to the new GoJo and Golic YouTube page and hit the notification bell to never miss a video!
SHOW BREAKDOWN
Hour 1: Week 11 WINNERS —Bills, Steelers and Chargers, Giants BENCH Daniel Jones + Shane Beamer, South Carolina HC, on QB LaNorris Sellers, CFP Committee vs. The SEC & Their Historically Successful Season
VIDEO
Watch GoJo and Golic LIVE every weekday from 8 to 10 a.m. ET. The show is also available via audio on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts. You can also follow Mike Golic Sr. on X at @golic and Mike Golic Jr. on X at @mikegolicjr and the show on X at @GoJoandGolic and Instagram at @GojoandGolic.
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