Tyson v Paul

[BeaterWhacker]

Poor ole Jake is gonna get hurt bad.

[GeneChing]

JAKE PAUL V. MIKE TYSON
LITTLE PERSON LOOK-ALIKE BRAWL GOING DOWN IN LAS VEGAS


11/9/2024 12:57 PM PT

Getty / Instagram @micromaniatour Composite
Jake Paul and Mike Tyson are throwing down at the AT&T Stadium in Texas next week ... but, fans who can't wait to see the two brawl have another chance -- in the form of a pair of look-alike little people.

The MicroMania Tour -- a group that puts on gag-filled fights between little people -- is taking over The Nerd Bar ... a Vegas hot spot off The Strip, on Fremont Street.


Nerd Bar Las Vegas
In what they call "Micro Square Garden," two performers -- outfitted with fake tattoos -- will face each other down in the center ring.

Unclear how many people plan to attend ... or if Vegas oddsmakers will take the winner of the brawl into account.


The Nerd Las Vegas
Right now, the fight is wildly swinging in Jake's direction ... with the 27-year-old holding on to a -270 betting line according to CBS Sports.

However, Tyson was the undisputed Heavyweight champ from 1987 to 1990, and he amassed a 50-6 record across his career ... so, fans shouldn't be counting out Iron Mike just yet.


Getty
Tyson made headlines during their press conference in August ... when Iron Mike shoved Paul -- all while cackling at JP's ****ed-off demeanor.

So, if you're hanging around Sin City today -- or, have a Facebook or Instagram account -- the fight kicks off tonight ... while real Paul and Tyson squaring up next week!

I can't even...

[GeneChing]

Serrano was robbed

[GeneChing]

Glad I watched Taylor v Serrano. That was a better fight.

Tyson couldn’t deliver after rd2, Paul dominated for the rest.

[mickey]

Greetings,

Everything that I posted in this thread as reason why Mike Tyson stood a strong chance of losing manifested itself.

There was no need to watch more than 2 seconds of it. That much was too much and was horrible to see. I am so glad I do not live vicariously through other people's successes and failures. All I see is Mike Tyson on his personal journey. Despite the loss, I wish him much continued success with his life.

mickey

[Kevin73]

There is a video clip from Joe Rogan from his podcast that he says that part of the contract was that Tyson was on a sliding scale for his pay. Tyson would only get the full $20 million if he went the full distance.

I have been trying to confirm this with something independent, but haven't been able to yet.

[GeneChing]

Local News
Mike Tyson vs. Jake Paul was Texas' highest-grossing combat sports event at $18.1M, organizers confirm
texas
November 20, 2024 / 7:32 AM CST / AP


ARLINGTON – Jake Paul's unanimous decision over Mike Tyson was the highest-grossing combat sports event in Texas at $18.1 million, the promotions company co-founded by Paul said Tuesday.

The eight-round fight at the home of the Dallas Cowboys drew about 72,000 fans and was part of a co-main event that featured Katie Taylor's latest disputed decision in a super lightweight championship slugfest against Amanda Serrano.

The event surpassed Texas' previous sports combat high of $9 million set by Canelo Alvarez when he faced Billy Joe Saunders at 80,000-seat AT&T Stadium in 2021, according to Most Valuable Promotions.

There were 73,000-plus fans at the Alvarez-Saunders fight, which at the time was the biggest crowd for a U.S. sporting event since the start of the pandemic a year earlier.

Paul beat Tyson, the 58-year-old former heavyweight champion, in a lopsided decision, winning all but one round on the three judges' scorecards combined. It was the 11th victory in 12 fights for the YouTuber-turned-boxer, who has seven knockouts in 4 1/2 years since turning pro.

BetMGM said the fight was its most-bet boxing or mixed-martial arts fight, taking three times the number of bets and four times the money of any combat sport in the sportsbook's history. A Caesars Sportsbook official said the fight was on par with an NFL Monday night game.

Netflix reported a peak of 65 million viewers in the streaming platform's debut for live sporting events. Netflix is carrying two NFL games on Christmas Day and WWE "Raw" on Jan. 6.

“The Simps Have Spoken”: Ring Girl Sydney Thomas Reacts To Going Viral After Paul Vs Tyson Fight
Bored Panda
Karina Babenok
November 19, 2024 at 12:45 PM
Jake Paul and Mike Tyson may have taken center stage during their highly anticipated boxing match on November 15, but ring girl Sydney Thomas was the one to capture the attention of many viewers.

The 20-year-old student, who studies at the University of Alabama, found overnight fame from her “incredible” looks.

This past Saturday, she addressed the attention surrounding her, expressing her gratitude on TikTok.

Sydney Thomas, the ring girl who went viral during the match between Jake Paul and Mike Tyson, has broken her silence about her newfound fame

With the fight happening just four days ago, Sydney’s followers on Instagram have skyrocketed from 236K to 614K, and some fans have even hailed her as the true winner of the fight.

“Sydney Thomas, the real winner of Jake Paul vs Mike Tyson,” one person said.

“If the Paul vs Tyson fight buffered only while showing Sydney Thomas the fight wouldn’t have been so bad,” another joked.

She took to the social media platform to talk about the once-in-a-lifetime event.

Her caption read, “Getting the opportunity to step into the ring with Mike Tyson and Jake Paul for such a historic fight is something I never imagined I’d be able to say. Words can’t describe this moment or how grateful I am to be part of such an amazing team at Most Valuable Promotions.”


Image credits: iamsydneythomas

“History was made, and I’m truly honored to have been a part of it.”

Additionally, she posted on TikTok, following the onslaught of comments.

“Waking up to see i’m trending for the tyson v paul fight,” she said in the text overlay, writing, “Im happy you guys enjoyed the broadcast!!”

The 20-year-old’s presence on social media well before the fight opened several doors for her and helped her explore multiple opportunities


Image credits: iamsydneythomas

Sydney posted a candid Snapchat session where she answered burning questions, revealing she had just recently dipped her toes in this new field.

Turns out, her unforgettable presence at the Paul vs Tyson fight was only her second job as a ring girl.

“I was found through social media!” she exclaimed. “I did my first fight in Puerto Rico a month ago and Paul x Tyson was my second time in the ring!”

Additionally, she said she loved interacting with the highly energized fans in the crowd.


Image credits: iamsydneythomas

“People are always waving, blowing kisses, etc., it’s fun to engage with!” she explained.

Before her gig as a ring girl — and now apparently, viral internet star — her journey began on the Internet.

She said, “This summer I walked in my first runway show during Miami Swim Week,” alongside a picture of the occasion. “I’ve worked with a few brands as well but I think social media is where I’ve found the greatest publicity to be (prior to the fight).”

Other ring girls have gained traction and have gone on to pursue other successful careers

Turns out, Sydney isn’t the only ring girl to have turned heads during a match.

Back in 2014, Chrissy Blair was working at Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) when she caught the attention of fans. The 35-year-old now sports an impressive resumé under her belt, having modeled for GUESS, Sports Illustrated, Maxim, and more.

Other big names include Brookliyn Wren, Lexi Williams, and Virginia Sanhouse, who have explored other paths like fitness modeling — and gained attention before ever stepping into a ring.

Last weekend’s match ushered in record-breaking numbers, but the final results turned out to be a disappointment to many

70,000 people showed up at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas to watch the spectacle, and an additional 60 million fans watched from home.

Jake Paul, 27, and Mike Tyson, 58, were the stars of the show — a headline that raised the eyebrows of many, seeing that Mike was 31 years Jake’s senior and had not fought professionally since June of 2005.

In the end, a unanimous decision declared the YouTube personality the winner.

Following his win, Jake posted a message on X.

“Reflecting on how I have disrupted boxings old guards… and it finally hit me, Mike Tyson was the original disruptor. Took the entire sport by storm and became an icon. Goals are clear,” he wrote.

It’s safe to say readers were not happy with his take, as many took offense to him comparing himself to the former boxer.

“Respectully, calling it ‘disrupting boxing’ when you had a sparring session with a 58-year-old legend is a bit of a stretch,” one person pointed out.

“Don’t ever compare yourself to Mike Tyson ever again,” another demanded.

A third explained, “You are good but you didn’t disrupt the sport in a good way. YouTube is one thing but martial arts are special. Boxing deserves more respect Fight an up and comer from the hood in your class and show everyone how great you really are.”

One notable figure, however, came to Jake’s defense after the results were called.

“To be fair to the guy, he can sell tickets,” he said. “I mean nobody, and this is with all due respect, should give a sh–t about watching a 60-year-old fight a 27-year-old, but Jake can make them care.”

Jake Paul has not responded to any of the criticism regarding his comment.

Only embedded a few pix in the article above - more behind the link.

[GeneChing]

Netflix Hit With Class Action Lawsuit Over Streaming Issues on Jake Paul-Mike Tyson Bout
The fight emerged as the most viewed sporting event ever on the platform, with 108 million people watching worldwide. Tens of thousands of subscribers reported trouble with their streams.


BY WINSTON CHO
Plus Icon
NOVEMBER 20, 2024 12:23PM

Mike Tyson throws a left on Jake Paul during a heavyweight bout at on November 15, 2024 in Arlington, Texas. CHRISTIAN PETERSEN/GETTY IMAGES

Netflix is facing a proposed class action from subscribers who were plagued by persistent buffering and freezing glitches that caused them to miss parts of the boxing spectacle between Jake Paul and Mike Tyson.

A Florida resident alleges Netflix was “woefully ill-prepared” for the nine-figure global audience that tuned in to the bout. The lawsuit, which seeks unspecified damages on behalf of subscribers who had trouble watching the fight, brings claims for breach of contract and violations of Florida laws surrounding deceptive trade practices and consumer protection.

“Netflix customers experienced massive streaming issues and should have known better because it’s happened before,” states the complaint, filed on Monday in Florida state court.

For Netflix, which declined to comment, the fight emerged as the most viewed sporting event ever on the platform, with 108 million people watching worldwide, according to U.S. viewing tallies from analytics company TVision and Netflix’s first-party data. Touting viewership figures, the company said that the fight brought in 60 million of its member households, or about one of every five subscription holders.

Leading up to the main event, “NetflixBroken,” “unwatchable” and “#buffering” surfaced as trending topics on X. When asked if the streamer was prepared for the magnitude of viewers expected to watch in an interview before the showdown, Gabe Spritzer, vp of Netflix’s sports arm, told The Hollywood Reporter, “on the tech side, everyone is excited and prepared.” Fight promoter Nakisa Bidarian added that he was confident that Netflix’s “servers are going to be up for it.”

The lawsuit claims that viewers faced streaming glitches and buffering issues throughout the event, with some completely unable to access the stream. It takes issues with Netflix declining to offer refunds or discounts.

Subscribers started to complain of streaming issues at 7 p.m. CT, according to Down Detector, which monitors service outages. Nearly three hours later, there were roughly 97,000 reports.

“Instead of providing the programming its viewers pay for every month, Netflix was completely unprepared and unable to fix the issues,” states the complaint, which stresses the company’s “failure to fulfill contractual obligations” as they “continued billing for services not delivered.”

The fight wasn’t the first time Netflix faced technical issues for a live event. Last year, the live reunion for season four of Love Is Blind was delayed by more than an hour. Without pointing to a specific cause, Netflix co-CEO Greg Peters expressed confidence that the company maintains the infrastructure to support live broadcasts.

The lawsuit, filed by Ronald Denton, seeks unspecified damages and looks to represent all subscribers who faced issues watching the fight. It brings claims for breach of contract and violations of Florida’s unfair and deceptive trade practices and consumer collection practices act.

Seth Abramovitch contributed to this report.

I saw a lot of my friends on social media having issues. It played smoothly for me.

[GeneChing]

Logan Paul Trolls The BBC By Sending Lookalike To Answer Questions About His Crypto Dealings
By Jake Kanter
International Investigations Editor
@Jake_Kanter

November 20, 2024 4:43am


Logan Paul
Getty
The BBC wanted to ask Logan Paul serious questions about his cryptocurrency dealings. Logan Paul sent a lookalike to the interview.

That is the twist in the BBC documentary, Logan Paul: Bad Influence?, premiering on BBC3 and iPlayer on Wednesday. It is presented by journalist Matt Shea.

Shea spent months chasing Paul for an interview after his investigation raised concerns that the YouTube star may have profited from misleading fans about crypto. Paul denies wrongdoing.

Paul eventually — and unexpectedly — agreed to a sit down with the BBC at the boxing gym in Puerto Rico he owns with his brother Jake Paul. The trouble is, he sent a lookalike instead.


Logan Paul’s lookalike

BBC cameras captured the encounter with the doppelganger, who claims to be Paul. “Is Logan coming?” Shea asks. “I’m right here bud,” the lookalike replies.

Their exchange, published by BBC News, is then interrupted by a group of people with megaphones shouting: “BBC is vile. They hire pedophiles.”

This a reference to an attack line against the BBC that has taken root online following the Jimmy Savile and Huw Edwards scandals.

Jamie Tahsin, the producer/director of Logan Paul: Bad Influence?, concluded: “We had flown all that way just to be trolled.”

Shea has got form when it comes to confronting social media influencers. He interviewed Andrew Tate last year, but the former mixed martial artist walked out of the exchange over “leading” questions.

More rich people clowning the system. Karma will get them.

[GeneChing]

Stay Sharp! READ Danny Trejo on FAN EXPO SF, Tyson vs. Paul, and Doing His Own Stunts by Gene Ching



I-wouldn-t-take-a-swing-at-Danny-Trejo-for-1000
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Tyson-v-Paul

[GeneChing]

How the Studio Behind the Jake Paul-Mike Tyson Fight Punches Above Its Weight
EverWonder Studio, led by veteran producer Ian Orefice and backed by Jeff Zucker's RedBird IMI, is capitalizing on a boom in sports-adjacent live events programming.
BY ALEX WEPRIN



JANUARY 6, 2025 6:05AM

In the summer of 2023, Ian Orefice exited as the president of Time Studios to launch his own venture: EverWonder Studio.

The production company had the backing of Jeff Zucker’s RedBird IMI, but it was an enormous risk: At a moment when it seemed like every network and streaming service was pulling back on content spend, what would the market look like for a new entrant?

“We had just launched, and I was sitting in the office,” Orefice recalls of those first few weeks. “It was me and literally one other person, and I had gone from a very big company and a very big ecosystem to me and one other person and thinking, ‘We have a lot of good building blocks, but how are we going to really make this happen? How long is that going to take?'”

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A little over a year later, and Orefice’s company finds itself at the intersection of some of the biggest pop culture moments of the year.

EverWonder produced Netflix’s blockbuster Jake Paul vs. Mike Tyson fight, which shattered streaming viewership records, and executive produced Netflix’s Christmas Day NFL games. It produced the Crypto.com Showdown golfing match that ran on Warner Bros. Discovery’s cable channels and Max streaming service, and created the college sports-focused Players Era Festival, which debuted on the WBD networks in November.

Along the way it also set up a Tyson docuseries at Netflix, produced the streaming giant’s New Year’s roast Torching 2024, and announced plans on multiple other doc series and films focused on Chris Evert-Martina Navratilova, presidential parodies and Princess Diana.

“Ian and the team have built a powerhouse studio at mach speed,” says Zucker. “In just one year, EverWonder has established itself as one of the premier producers of premium nonfiction programming as well as live events. Their creativity and versatility have quickly established them as a trusted partner across the industry.”

“I just feel really amazed slash fortunate,” Orefice adds. “It’s a surreal moment to have all that’s going on almost a year to the day when it was me and one other person sitting in an empty conference room wondering how long this journey would take.”

But that success only came after a quick pivot. EverWonder’s original pitch was built around nonfiction features, documentaries and series, as well as developing new IP (like Players Era) that it can exploit across platforms. But there is no question that its push into producing live events, driven in no small part by the hiring of Michael Antinoro as its president last year, changed the trajectory of the company.

“Live events are a much bigger focus of the company that we originally conceived,” Orefice says, calling out the lineup of productions EverWonder produced last year. “When we first spoke in 2023 I would not have told you that we would have done nearly 20 live global tentpole shows and projects this year. So we’re really excited about that pivot and our ability to be where the industry is leading there.”

To hear Orefice explain it, his company was responding to the demand from networks and streaming services.

“I think every distributor, every network, is looking to drive subscriber value and advertiser value to where their ecosystems are,” he says. “Compare the cost of Tyson-Paul for Netflix versus the cost of a high-powered scripted project. So I think there’s a lot of value that streamers and distributors are still seeing in live sports. And then if you take the traditional broadcast and the linear side, they’re obviously going through existential changes in the industry at large, too, but live sports and a live content specifically, I think, is the best way to drive immediacy from a viewership perspective.”

That’s not to say EverWonder has abandoned its original ambitions.

The company’s IP ambitions are apparent with Players Era, which combines college athletics with NIL (name, image, likeness) opportunities for the athletes.

“We’re very thankful that RedBird IMI and Jeff Zucker have supported us the way they have, but we obviously don’t have unlimited capital,” Orefice says. “So when we choose to invest in a project, it’s not about whether that project will sell or not. It’s about whether, once that project is out in the world, what else can you potentially do with it? So if you look at Players Era, we have the ability now with a brand that can go in so many different avenues within college basketball.

“There is untold potential, or almost unlimited potential, for what we now can do with Players Era,” he adds. “Can we create podcasting for Players Era? Can we create other documentary series for Players Era. Can we create an apparel and apparel line? We’ve already launched a women’s extension of Players Era. We’re going to announce a global event series as well.”

And EverWonder is continuing to invest in the documentary space, with the Tyson Netflix series (which Tyson will participate in), and the Navratilova-Evert doc, for which Orefice notes the company also has the scripted rights.

“I think the documentaries in the sports space that will succeed are going to be these big, tentpole, massive, undeniable stories. And I think the stories that are maybe a little bit smaller will have a harder time succeeding in this marketplace than they maybe did a couple years ago,” he says. “We’re trying to use truth-based storytelling that is entertaining and impactful around the world to be the genesis of new IP.”

The company’s other big pivot has been in its role as a studio versus an incubator. EverWonder may have launched as a studio within the RedBird IMI portfolio, but is now building a portfolio of investments of its own.

Last year the company announced a partnership with NBA on TNT analyst Charles Barkley to launch Round Mound Media, which has a slate of around a dozen projects in the works, including a doc on Barkley’s life; and it invested in Next of Kin Content, the production banner of Era’s Tour film director Sam Wrench; it also inked a first-look deal with live entertainment specialist BZ Entertainment.

“We offer a very successful, proven track record of building IP and building brands and building companies, and we’re trying to bring that model to people like Sam and like Charles Barkley, so they don’t have to do this by themselves, they can do this with a trusted partner that has the ecosystem and the infrastructure,” Orefice says. “Jeff Zucker…his whole career has been about building brands. My career at Time and then Sports Illustrated before that was also about building brands. So we are really excited that a lot of the world’s top creatives are looking to EverWonder again, not simply for doing a project together, but building a home together, and that that gives us a lot of pride and optimism for the future.”

And 2025 will see the company double down on that strategy. Orefice says EverWonder is primed to make some M&A moves this year, including into newer areas like podcasting and conferences.

“I think IP is only worth anything if people care about it, and some of the greatest ways to get people to care is to have a more intimate relationship,” Orefice says. “So if you look at people’s interactions with some of the most successful podcasts that are out there right now, they have a real connection with the hosts and with the guests and with the subjects. So that inherently builds great value in IP. If you think of the connections that people make at conferences or live events around the world, they have a really personalized and intimate experience. So I think we’re going to continue to go deeper in ways that we can find valuable, ways to create impactful IP.”

It’s a strategy that EverWonder will be executing at a fraught time for entertainment, with TV and streaming budgets flat or in decline. But Orefice and his team have leaned into the areas that are still growing, and are betting that the swings that they are taking can become bigger than the sum of their parts, as the demand for new IP, particularly IP that touches on sport, continues to be strong.

And rather than build something within a legacy brand like SI or Time, Orefice and Zucker are building their own thing.

“I hear a lot of people talk about the challenges of the industry and the potential contraction of the industry. I’ve never been more bullish and optimistic about the industry,” Orefice says. “I think great creative will always win, and innovative business models now have a better place for producers to succeed than they’ve ever had before. So there are certainly challenges, but I also think for the right projects, with the right models, there’s never been a more exciting time to be a producer.”

Interesting backstory