Was the Tyson vs Paul fight fixed?

Most boxing fans will have felt nothing but disappointment when watching Saturday night's bout between Jake Paul and Mike Tyson, as Tyson lost on points to the upstart YouTuber.

Some believe the fight was so one-sided, it must have been fixed, with one moment in particular leading to speculation.

Following a shot to Paul's chin by Tyson, Jake Paul was seen smiling and sticking his tongue out, suggesting the punch hadn't done any damage. Some fans, however, think it meant something else entirely.

Want to see more like this? Follow us here for daily sports news, profiles and analysis!

Per this uncorroborated conspiracy theory by fans, Paul sticking his tongue out was actually a signal for Tyson to take it easy on him.

One fan posted their theory on X (formerly Twitter) writing, “Jake Paul signaling for Mike to take it easy,” following the shots of Paul sticking his tongue out.

Another fan on X wrote, “This fight was fixed,” with others chiming in saying, “Jake Paul's fights are fixed… Tyson IS NOT attacking.” Another went so far as to write that Paul v Tyson was, “the most staged fight I've ever seen.”

The Daily Mail has reported that they reached out to Netflix and Most Valuable Promotions for a response to the fan theory and received nothing in return.

While it's hard to argue the bout was anything but a farce, it's hard to believe the theory that Tyson was made to take it easy on Paul, given the veteran boxer could barely lay a glove on Paul all night.

In fact, the disparity in fitness at athleticism between a 58-year-old who was clearly far past their prime, and a 27-year-old in peak physical condition was so stark, it made the fight almost unbearable to watch.

Such was Paul's dominance, he didn't need to be aggressive in the later rounds, telling reporters after the fight he took it easy on Tyson as he, “didn't want to hurt someone that didn't need to be hurt,” per TheDailyMail.

Want to see more like this? Follow us here for daily sports news, profiles and analysis!