Netflix has flirted with the idea of diving into live sports broadcasts for quite some time now, most notably with its recent agreement with the WWE for the streaming rights to its flagship show, Raw. That deal will come into effect in 2025. However, the first live sporting event on Netflix’s platform will come in July, with a highly anticipated boxing match between YouTube sensation turned boxer Jake Paul and boxing legend Mike Tyson.
Paul’s recent boxing matches have lacked a bit of prestige, mainly because he has fought against former MMA fighters instead of actual boxing competition. Despite this, he has been a big draw, bringing attention to the sport in a way many high-level boxers have failed to do.
Paul’s upcoming matchup against Tyson, who has been retired from professional boxing since 2005, maybe more of a spectacle than a high-level fight that will attract boxing purists to tune in.
Regardless, Tyson and Paul are household names to a large demographic. Because of this and Netflix’s platform’s accessibility, DAZN boxing analyst Chris Mannix believes this upcoming match will be the most watched boxing event in decades.
“The last couple of fights, Jake (Paul) has been going down the traditional boxing path,” said Mannix during a guest appearance on the Rich Eisen Show. Now, he is making the hard pivot back to celebrity boxing. And he’s doing it against arguably the biggest star in boxing history: Mike Tyson.
“I didn’t think a Tyson fight was going to happen, but here we are with one of the biggest social media stars ever and one of the biggest boxing stars ever. Fighting on perhaps the biggest global platform ever. I think this will be an event unlike any other. I think this has the potential to be the most-viewed boxing event ever. I could easily see this fight attracting 100 million viewers. Regardless of what you think of what this fight is in the ring, the audience for this is going to be absolutely massive.”
With Netflix’s reach, Mike Tyson-Jake Paul will likely be the most watched boxing event in decades. pic.twitter.com/Dpe2ospArS
— Chris Mannix (@SIChrisMannix) March 9, 2024
Unlike most high-profile boxing matches locked behind pay-per-view barriers, this Paul-Tyson fight will be readily accessible on Netflix. This widespread availability could be the key to Mannix’s prediction of record-breaking viewership coming true.
Unlike the NFL playoff game on Peacock, this fight will be streamed on Netflix, a platform already subscribed to by most households, potentially boosting viewership significantly.
The jury’s still unsure whether Mannix’s sky-high predictions will pan out. However, it undeniably possesses all the makings of an actual super fight—a clash of celebrities, a unique platform, and a potentially unpredictable outcome.
