Perhaps the biggest night of boxing this century took place last night, but it's safe to say the ending fell a little flat...
Mike Tyson returning to the ring at 58 years old for his first professional fight in 19 years against an antagonistic opponent 31 years younger than him was certainly worthy of the hype.
With 72,000 people filling the AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, and an estimated 120 million watching around the world on Netflix, last night was the largest American boxing event to be held outside of Las Vegas in history.
However, by the end of the eight two-minute rounds, it was clear that Tyson just isn't the ferocious fighter he once was, and Paul won by unanimous decision.
In fact, the conclusion of the night fell so flat that boos were ringing out for both fighters by the final bell and there were reports of people leaving the stadium early before the result in order to beat traffic.
Nevertheless, let's not diminish the fact that Tyson just fought his first televised boxing match in four years. His first professional bout in 19 years. At 58 years old! There's a lot of respect to be had just for that.
But it's no secret that fans were disappointed they didn't see the Mike Tyson of the past. The man who would become the youngest world champion in history due to his explosive speed, unyielding power, and unrelenting brutality.
Who could forget Tyson taking a bite of Evander Holyfield's ear during the "The Sound and the Fury" rematch from June 28, 1997?
Taking place in the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada, a frustrated Tyson bit a significant portion of Holyfield's right ear, causing severe injury. Referee Mills Lane initially deducted two points from Tyson but allowed the fight to continue.
However, Tyson would go on to bite Holyfield's ear again later in the round, leading to his immediate disqualification and a moment that has stood the test of time.
In fact, it was clearly on the minds of viewers during last night's fight, as fans were sharing the exact moment Tyson had the opportunity to make history once again. Sharing a screenshot from the third round - as Paul collapsed close to Tyson against the ropes - the "Baddest Man On The Planet's" mouth was positioned right next to the YouTuber's ear.
...It was RIGHT THERE, Mike!
Of course, there was no bite this time around, much to the disappointment of viewers.
"He wasted the opportunity," one X user wrote, with a second adding: "You can tell he’s fighting his demons in that moment tho. He wants a little nibble."
Over on Instagram, another social media user wrote: "Bro had his opportunity and blew it", with a fourth writing: "Jake gotta avoid being in that position or else history repeats itself."
Tyson's infamous bite led to a $3 million find and he was hit with a one-year ban from boxing.
...so maybe it's a good idea he didn't take a nibble of Paul's ear.
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