Viewers furious as Netflix crashes during Mike Tyson vs Jake Paul boxing match

Netflix's highly anticipated debut into live sports broadcasting faced heavy criticism from fans as the platform struggled to stream the Mike Tyson vs Jake Paul boxing match today (16 November). 

Many users reported persistent buffering, freezing, and picture quality issues, leading to widespread frustration during the event, reports The Mirror. 

The problems intensified before the co-main event, a rematch between Katie Taylor and Amanda Serrano, who previously delivered a Madison Square Garden classic two years ago. 

Viewers also faced interruptions during the undercard bout between Mario Barrios and Abel Ramos, which ended in a split draw, allowing Barrios to retain his WBC welterweight world title.

Fans took to social media to express their dissatisfaction, with one user writing, "If Netflix doesn't fix this buffering issue, this will go down as one of the biggest fails in all of TV/streaming history." 

Another wrote, "First time I've sat down to watch boxing in forever, and Netflix keeps freezing up and buffering."

The streaming issues were compounded by technical sound difficulties.

Boxing legend Evander Holyfield, alongside Lennox Lewis, appeared in the studio but faced audio disruptions. Host Kate Scott apologized, saying, "Evander, I apologize... I'm so sorry about the sound. Lennox, thank you for helping us out with the interview."

The event, which marked Netflix's first live sports broadcast, saw Tyson and Paul earning a combined $60 million. 

The fight had been postponed from its original July date due to Tyson suffering an inflamed ulcer earlier this year. Both fighters eventually passed medical tests to compete.

Despite the landmark nature of the broadcast, the glitches have cast a shadow over Netflix's foray into live sports. With plans to stream two NFL games on Christmas Day, the platform faces significant pressure to resolve these technical issues to avoid future backlash.