With an estimated 120 million viewers tuning in to Netflix for last night’s highly anticipated night of boxing, it’s no wonder that every detail is now being scrutinized in the aftermath.
From Mike Tyson’s butt unexpectedly stealing the spotlight to the legendary boxer’s major “missed opportunity,” there were several jaw-dropping moments that left viewers talking.
As the “Baddest Man on the Planet” stepped into the ring for his first professional fight in 19 years, facing 72,000 spectators at AT&T Stadium, one detail didn’t escape the sharp eyes of both viewers and the commentary team: Mike Tyson’s unusual habit of biting his gloves.
“Why does Tyson keep biting his glove? Is it so he doesn’t bite Jake? TYSON PLEASE BITE HIS EAR OFF,” one fan humorously tweeted.
There were plenty of theories about why Tyson was biting his glove, with retired world champ Tony Bellew weighing in, tweeting: “Mike’s biting his glove because he’s in pain.”
Another fan offered their perspective: “His mind, training, and muscle memory are all there, but his body isn’t cooperating. Imagine knowing exactly how to do something and wanting to, but your body won’t let you. It’s frustrating, so he bites his glove out of frustration.”
Others, convinced the fight was staged, speculated that Tyson was biting his glove to prevent himself from knocking out Paul. “Mike Tyson had the chance to finish Jake Paul at this very moment,” one fan wrote. “You know he thought about it. Then he bit his glove.”
Another echoed this sentiment, saying, “Mike Tyson actually had to bite his gloves so as not to throw them. He was holding back his instinct. #rigged.”
Some even suggested Tyson’s glove-biting was a signal for Paul to pull his punches, with one X user theorizing: “Mike Tyson biting his glove so frequently was a sign for Jake Paul to pull his punches.”
“Then continue swinging when he stopped biting his glove. Watch for the pattern,” one user advised.
Sharing a video of Tyson during training, another person commented: “The match is fixed and was just done for money. I mean, Jake Paul was sweating compared to Mike. Biting the gloves was all to hold himself back from KILLING him. They told him not to kill him.”
However, after the fight, Tyson openly addressed the glove-biting in a post-match interview, putting the rumors to rest.
When interviewer Ariel Helwani pointed out that some of the commentary team had been speculating about the in-ring gesture, 58-year-old Tyson responded with a grin: “That was a habit of mine, biting my glove when I fight… I have a biting fixation.”
This tongue-in-cheek admission from Tyson was a nod to his infamous 1997 disqualification during a match against Evander Holyfield, where Tyson shocked the world by biting off part of Holyfield’s ear.
The bite led to a $3 million fine and a one-year ban from the sport.
“I’ve heard about that,” Helwani quipped with a laugh. “I don’t want to know more…”
Paul claimed a unanimous victory over Tyson, securing a clear win on all scorecards with scores of 80-72, 79-73, and 79-73.
Despite the lighthearted moments, Friday’s face-off was a significant event for Tyson, who was making his return to the professional ring for the first time since his 2005 knockout loss to Kevin McBride. While Tyson had an exhibition bout against Roy Jones Jr. in 2020, this was his official reentry into professional boxing.
And sadly, it seems that this may be Tyson’s final fight. When asked about a potential return to the ring, “Iron Mike” responded, “I don’t know. It depends on the situation… I don’t think so.”
“I didn’t prove nothing to anyone, just myself,” Tyson continued. “I’m not one of these guys who goes out to please the world, I’m just happy with what I can do.”
On the flip side, Jake Paul’s victory adds another impressive feather to his cap, bringing his professional record to 11-1. After already taking down a series of mixed martial artists and lesser-known boxers, Paul’s win over the boxing legend further solidifies his place in the combat sports world.
