Boxing fans were left frustrated after tech issues from Netflix plagued the Mike Tyson vs Jake Paul fight.
The streaming giant was making its debut in live combat sports with the controversial bout yesterday (November 15), which many have already deemed a failure, with “buffering” becoming a trending hashtag on X/Twitter.
Tyson, 58, faced internet personality Paul, 27, in the former heavyweight champion’s first professional bout in 19 years at the AT&T Stadium, which was free to watch for Netflix subscribers. Originally set to take place on July 20, the fight was delayed after the veteran boxer suffered an ulcer.
Even before fans on social media caught win of the contentious result – that saw Paul declared the winner by unanimous decision – viewers took to social media to highlight a range of problems with the stream.
Most poked fun at Netflix “gaslighting” viewers when messages popped up blaming bad internet for buffering, while others pointed out audio issues after Evander Holyfield, who joined Lennox Lewis in the studio, could not hear questions put to him by host Kate Scott, who later apologised to viewers.
Check out more fan reactions below.
Amazon Prime would've had this stream looking like a Christopher Nolan movie, Netflix gotta be ashamed of themselves #PaulTyson
— Ahmed/The Ears/IG: BigBizTheGod 🇸🇴 (@big_business_) November 16, 2024
Netflix single handedly resurrected Cable TV tonight #netflixcrash #PaulTyson pic.twitter.com/cNFQ0amql4
— BarkingPup (@BarkingPup) November 16, 2024
Me trying to understand how netflix a billion dollar company and still having buffering issues during the tyson fight#PaulTyson pic.twitter.com/OSwiwE1jGP
— Pizza Dad (@Pizza__Dad) November 16, 2024
The only fight I’m watching Netflix fight for it’s life #NetflixFight pic.twitter.com/6GU8pQI3oZ
— Hot Cheeto Dust (@missingedges) November 16, 2024
Netflix giving updates on Tyson vs Paul… #NetflixFight #Buffering pic.twitter.com/XdFvjDpTEY
— Matthew Volom (@MatthewRVolom) November 16, 2024
Netflix after scamming everyone into watching a fight they have no idea how to support technically #NetflixFight pic.twitter.com/6DtwOGLHif
— 800 Hertz⚡️🎶 (@800Hertz) November 16, 2024
Netflix IT right now #NetflixFight pic.twitter.com/dZP0Qnwoe5
— Brian Smith (@pasadyaguy) November 16, 2024
Hey @Netflix, stop bringing up a support page blaming my router. My internet, router, & WiFi are fine. You suck because you were not ready for a live event. #buffering #NetflixFight #TysonPaul #refund pic.twitter.com/D4lx5n17vE
— venisontacos (@jeremy_porter) November 16, 2024
Netflix gaslighting all of us saying it’s our connection: #NetflixFight pic.twitter.com/APPglvtwrS
— emily (@emilykohara) November 16, 2024
Another blip in the Netflix coverage came when Tyson suffered a wardrobe malfunction on camera, with one viewer joking: “Netflix stopped buffering just in time for us to see Mike Tyson’s ass.”
Back in March, it was revealed that Tool frontman Maynard James Keenan was helping train Tyson ahead of the match. The ‘Sober’ singer posted a photo of himself with his wife, Lei Li Keenan, with Tyson on Instagram, confirming that he and his colleagues had been training Iron Mike at the Verde Valley BJJ martial arts school.
Elsewhere, Netflix will continue their live sports coverage by showing WWE‘s weekly flagship wrestling programme Raw from next year.
Starting in January 2025, Netflix will become the exclusive new home of Raw in the US, Canada, UK and Latin America, among other territories, with additional countries and regions to be added over time, marking Raw’s first departure from linear television after 31 years.
English (US) · 