The highly anticipated showdown between boxing legend Mike Tyson and social media star Jake Paul was billed as the boxing event of 2024. With both men doing their part to fuel the hype, fans were eager to see the clash of generations in the ring. However, fight night left many viewers disappointed—not just by the fighters’ cautious performances in the later rounds, but also by widespread technical issues with Netflix’s live stream.
The streaming giant, which hosted the event, faced backlash as countless viewers reported buffering, glitches, and even an inability to access the fight altogether. These frustrations have now culminated in a lawsuit filed by Ronald “Blue” Denton, a Florida resident, who claims Netflix breached its contract to deliver a high-quality stream. Denton’s legal filing cites “no access, streaming glitches, and buffering issues” as evidence of Netflix’s failure and is seeking unspecified damages.
Social media was flooded with complaints from angry viewers, many of whom shared stories of being unable to follow the action in real time. The backlash prompted Netflix Chief Technology Officer Elizabeth Stone to address the streaming mishap in an email to employees. While acknowledging the technical problems, Stone highlighted the event’s record-breaking viewership. “We don’t want to dismiss the poor experience of some members,” she wrote. “Know we have room for improvement, but still consider this event a huge success.”
Neither Mike Tyson nor Jake Paul has commented on the streaming debacle, but other public figures have weighed in. Radio personality Howard Stern criticized Netflix for the issues and urged the company to fix its streaming technology ahead of its planned Christmas Day football broadcast. “You mess with people’s football, there is hell to pay,” Stern warned on his Sirius XM show. “I don’t know how this stuff works, but you’ve got to make sure it works.”
While the Mike Tyson vs. Jake Paul fight generated significant buzz and drew massive viewership, the technical setbacks and subsequent lawsuit have cast a shadow over Netflix’s foray into live sports streaming. The pressure is now on the platform to ensure smoother experiences for future live events.
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