Netflix, a global streaming service, has reinforced its lead in live sports streaming with a spectacular night of boxing that enthralled people around the world. The Paul vs Tyson and Taylor vs Serrano 2 fights broke records, becoming the platform’s most-watched live boxing events.
The Paul vs Tyson main event was broadcast live by 60 million households, with a peak of 65 million concurrent streams. The Taylor vs Serrano 2 co-main event received approximately 50 million viewers, perhaps making it the most-watched professional women’s sporting event in US history.
60 million households around the world tuned in live to watch Paul vs. Tyson!
— Netflix (@netflix) November 16, 2024
The boxing mega-event dominated social media, shattered records, and even had our buffering systems on the ropes. pic.twitter.com/kA8LjfAJSk
Talking about the in-house attendance, AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, turned into the boxing epicentre as 72,300 people saw the landmark occurrence live. The gate revenue for Paul vs Tyson mounted $18 million, twice as high as Texas’ previous combat sports record of $9 million set by Canelo Álvarez. The bout also had the highest boxing gate outside of Las Vegas in US history.
Furthermore, the event also captivated social media, with #PaulTyson being the #1 trending topic globally on X (previously Twitter). Meanwhile, #Serrano was the No. 2 trending topic in the United States, Brazil, Spain, and Canada. The fight accounted for 11 of the top 11 trending topics in the United States alone, demonstrating its cultural significance.
Notably, Joe Hand Promotions, an administrator in out-of-home sports entertainment, marketed the event to over 6,000 bars and restaurants throughout the United States, making it the most commercially distributed combat sports event in the company’s 50-year history.
The night created an electric environment with a star-studded ringside crowd that included luminaries like Evander Holyfield, Sugar Ray Leonard, Charlize Theron, and Lennox Lewis, as well as entertainment and sports figures like Shaquille O’Neal, Rob Gronkowski, Simu Liu, Daddy Yankee, and others.
The event not only broke streaming and ticket sales records but also reshaped the worldwide popularity of boxing.