From IDF controversy to Texas defeat: Tyson's rough year ends with Paul fight

A year after facing social media backlash for unknowingly attending an IDF fundraiser in Miami - which led to boycott calls and a hasty apology - Mike Tyson's controversial year ended with another tough night in Texas.

The former champ, now 58, lost a unanimous decision to YouTuber Jake Paul in a bout that left fans booing and critics questioning why it happened at all.

The heavily hyped matchup at Dallas's AT&T Stadium, which required special rules to accommodate the 31-year age gap, drew more groans than cheers. Netflix viewers who managed to get through widespread buffering issues watched the 27-year-old Paul outpoint an aging legend who hasn't fought professionally since 2005.

"This man is an icon," Paul said afterward, playing nice despite his earlier prediction that "someone's getting put to sleep." Tyson, showing the same humble approach he used during last year's fundraiser controversy, simply noted: "I didn't prove nothing to anybody, only to myself."

Several states had refused to sanction the fight, forcing Texas officials to mandate shorter rounds and heavier gloves. The night's real excitement came from Katie Taylor's razor-thin title defense against Amanda Serrano - though over 98,000 Netflix viewers missed chunks of both fights due to technical issues.

For Tyson, it caps a year that saw him navigate both political controversies and physical challenges, ending with a reminder that even legends can't outbox Father Time.