“Big Fights Aren’t Cheap”: Netflix’s Mike Tyson vs. Jake Paul Roped In After Frank Warren’s Harsh Reality Check

Last month’s mega-fight between Jake Paul and Mike Tyson shattered records, becoming the most-viewed boxing match in the history of the sport on Netflix. The streaming giant proudly revealed that a staggering 65 million viewers tuned in to watch the fight live. However, Queensberry Promotions’ Frank Warren doesn’t believe that’s a win for the sport.

‘The Problem Child’ secured a unanimous decision victory over Tyson, who appeared as a shadow of his former self. Tyson faded after the first round, with Paul dominating the remainder of the bout. While fans were left disappointed by the lackluster performance, Netflix still considered the event a success, despite the numerous technical issues that plagued the livestream.

If there was a silver lining, it was the fact that fans across the globe could watch the fight for virtually nothing. The match was included with a regular Netflix subscription, which typically costs between $80 and $100 for a pay-per-view event. Speaking to iFL TV, Warren raised concerns about the implications of such low-cost access for major boxing events.

“Big fights aren’t cheap, and they shouldn’t be. If you’re not charging fans directly, how do you cover those costs?” Warren said. Jake Paul reportedly earned $40 million for the fight, while Tyson walked away with $20 million. And with upcoming mega-events like the Oleksandr Usyk vs. Tyson Fury rematch, fighters can expect similarly massive paychecks.

This raises a crucial question about the long-term viability of Netflix’s business model for combat sports, especially for big fights. Warren summed it up, “Streaming platforms need to figure that out.” However, the question is, after the Paul vs. Tyson success—will Netflix come back to boxing? 

Co-founder of MVP alongside Jake Paul, Nakisa Bidarian reveals future with Netflix

After the event, Nakisa Bidarian appeared in an interview with talkSport Boxing, where he expressed optimism about a continued partnership with Netflix following the historic success of the Jake Paul vs. Mike Tyson fight. 

Bidarian described the collaboration with Netflix as a groundbreaking move, saying, “We went into it with the understanding on both sides that this was a first-time thing to really see ‘could we capture the broader audience?’ that boxing just doesn’t have.” 

He acknowledged the technical challenges but maintained, “The numbers were astronomical, the success—unprecedented. The hope is we’re going to find ways to continue working together.”

Netflix’s Chief Technology Officer, Elizabeth Stone, echoed the sentiment in an internal company letter: “We have room for improvement but still consider this event a huge success.” The partnership may signal a bold new era for boxing.

That being said, it appears despite fears from the likes of Frank Warren about the pay-per-view prices for the event being too low, Netflix has established itself as a big player in the live-streaming sector with the debut of Jake Paul vs. Mike Tyson. However, only time will tell whether the streaming giant will return to the sport. Do you agree with Frank Warren?