Netflix’s entry into boxing has not been perfect so far. The streaming company took the responsibility to stream arguably the biggest boxing event of the year, as Jake Paul takes on Mike Tyson in Arlington, Texas.

However, it has been a forgettable experience, as streaming issues and constant lags frustrated fans during critical junctures in fights. The streaming issues were heavy during the Amanda Serrano and Katie Taylor rematch—a match that fans had been looking forward to the most, and it really stole the show. But Netflix decided to take this opportunity to promote their upcoming original movie ‘Back in Action’ starring Cameron Diaz and Jamie Foxx during the fight. Add this to the existing lags and hangups and fans had a few things to be upset about.

Netflix’s promotion fails to hold up

As expected, Amanda Serrano and Katie Taylor stole the show with their performance. The duo went toe-to-toe as the undisputed light-welterweight champion narrowly edged out a unanimous decision win and defended her title.

From the start, it was a match between Serrano’s explosive punches against the Irishwoman’s smart counters. Taylor’s accidental headbutts also got her in trouble in the early rounds as Serrano suffered a cut over her right eyebrow and began to bleed profusely. But she kept on fighting.

However, the controversial decision overshadowed the fight as all three judges scored the fight 95-94 in favor of Katie Taylor. Many commentators and fans felt Serrano had done enough to claim victory, making the decision a bitter pill to swallow.

But another thing that annoyed the fans was when Netflix decided to stream the trailer of ‘Back in Action’ during the third round of the fight. Amidst the constant buffering issue and stream lag, fans did not take this break from the action of the fight lightly. Considering how well the two fighters were fighting, fans’ annoyance was warranted and they did not hold back in showcasing that online.

Annoyed fans express their anger at Netflix for interrupting Amanda Serrano vs. Katie Taylor fight

A user wrote, “When the buffering issues are not enraging me to the point of wanting to throw a chair through my screen door, now I have to watch some stupid show promo for #Netflix with Cameron Diaz… Nope, there goes the red fucking circle again. 🤬🤬,” calling out the constant buffering issues. 

Another user wrote, “No where not! Frozen, and I’m back watching stupid Cameron Diaz movie trailer and round 3 of the fight again…” stating how the buffering issue forced him to watch the third round of the Serrano-Taylor fight twice.

Another user wrote, “This Jake Paul vs Mike Tyson fight night on Netflix has everything. Buffering. Wi-Fi shaming. Mike Tyson in an a**less jock strap. Jerry Jones. Cameron Diaz movie trailers. Rosie Perez,” stating that the fight had enough drama for two events. The user also trolled Mike Tyson for his weird choice of wearing a jockstrap in his locker room, which was highlighted when the legend was talking to his son Amir Tyson backstage.

Among the sea of criticism, one user praised the trailer and wrote, “The Jamie Foxx/ Cameron Diaz movie does look good…” The upcoming espionage comedy/action flick will be released in 2025 and stars Andrew Scott, Glenn Close, and Leela Owne beside Diaz and Foxx.

Another fan who wanted to see the fight wrote, “Netflix finally worked for me to see Cameron Diaz and Jamie Foxx. Get these lames off my screen and show me violence,” stating how a movie trailer had no business being streamed between a fight full of tension.

Netflix’s boxing debut was, at best, a mixed bag. While the event had its entertaining moments, the technical glitches and intrusive promotions overshadowed the excitement in the ring. As traffic surged during the main event, the stream quality deteriorated further, adding to fans’ growing dissatisfaction.

What did you think of Netflix’s handling of the Jake Paul vs. Mike Tyson event? Was the integration of their movie promotion during live fights justified? Share your thoughts below!