ARLINGTON, Texas — Jake Paul secured an eight-round unanimous decision over 58-year-old Mike Tyson on Friday night, in a highly anticipated but underwhelming boxing match at AT&T Stadium, home of the NFL’s Dallas Cowboys.

Paul, the 27-year-old YouTuber-turned-boxer, controlled the fight from start to finish, with the judges scoring it 80-72 and 79-73 in his favor.

Tyson, making his first sanctioned pro bout in nearly two decades, landed a few punches in the opening moments but failed to mount any significant offense in the subsequent rounds.

The crowd, initially excited for the match, grew restless as the action lacked intensity.

Even when Paul dropped his gloves and bowed to Tyson before the final bell, the gesture did little to appease fans, many of whom began to leave before the official decision was announced.

“I didn’t prove anything to anybody, only to myself,” Tyson said after the fight. "I’m just happy with what I can do.”

The fight, originally scheduled for July, was postponed due to Tyson’s illness, which required treatment for a stomach ulcer. Despite the delay, the spectacle failed to live up to the hype, leaving many fans disappointed.

Paul, who improved his record to 11-1, reflected on the fight, saying, “I was trying to hurt him a little bit. I was scared he was going to hurt me. I did my best.”

Tyson, who has not competed since 2005 in a professional setting, largely allowed Paul to dictate the pace, with the younger fighter choosing not to push too hard after the third round, believing Tyson appeared tired.

The fight set a Texas record for combat sports with a gate of nearly $18 million, but Netflix, which streamed the event, faced technical difficulties as it hosted its first live combat sports broadcast.

The undercard also saw Mario Barrios retain his WBC welterweight title in a draw with Abel Ramos, following a back-and-forth battle that included each fighter scoring a knockdown.

The night drew a star-studded crowd, including basketball Hall of Famer Shaquille O'Neal and former NFL star Rob Gronkowski, while boxing legends Evander Holyfield and Lennox Lewis greeted Tyson in his locker room before the match.

Tyson, who famously bit Holyfield’s ear in a 1997 bout, later revealed he has a habit of biting his gloves during fights. — Agencies