Netflix made a big move into live sports streaming with the highly anticipated boxing match between Mike Tyson and Jake Paul, drawing a massive 65 million viewers at its peak. But while the numbers were impressive, the event wasn’t without issues.
Many viewers experienced connection problems, buffering, and frozen screens during the live stream event, leading to many viewers complaining online.
“We crashed the site,” said Jake Paul, 27, after his victory over 58-year-old Tyson. “This is the biggest event.” Netflix’s Chief Technology Officer, Elizabeth Stone, confirmed the viewership numbers in an internal memo, comparing them to some of the most-watched global sporting events.
Still, the technical problems overshadowed the excitement for many. Over 100,000 users reported issues on Downdetector, and even Evander Holyfield had trouble hearing during a segment, showing just how widespread the glitches were.
This fight was a major test for Netflix as it gears up its live-event capabilities to support its growing ad business. During the broadcast, the company teased upcoming NFL games, signaling its ambitions in the live sports space. However, technical challenges like these echo earlier mishaps, such as the Love Is Blind reunion.
As for the match itself? Critics called it underwhelming. Paul won after eight rounds with no knockouts, and Tyson’s return to the ring didn’t quite deliver the excitement many hoped for. Still, Netflix is betting big on events like this to drive subscriptions, with analysts predicting up to 10 million new sign-ups in the fourth quarter.
On social media, viewers didn’t hold back their frustration. One sarcastically thanked Netflix for “bringing back the glorious days of dial-up internet,” while another asked, “Seriously? You didn’t make sure your servers could handle this?” Despite the mixed reactions, the event shows Netflix is serious about live sports—even if there’s still some work to do.
