When 72,300 people cram into AT&T Stadium for a Friday night fight, you know the guest list is going to be absurd. It didn’t matter that the age gap between the fighters was nearly thirty years. People wanted to be there. They wanted the spectacle. Honestly, most people were just curious if the 58-year-old Iron Mike still had that terrifying twitch in his hands.
If you were watching the Netflix stream—assuming your internet didn't give up on life halfway through—you saw glimpses of Hollywood royalty and sporting legends. But who was actually there? From the ringside seats that cost more than a mid-sized sedan to the broadcast booths, the building was crawling with A-listers.
The Heavy Hitters: Boxing Royalty and Sports Icons
It’s kinda rare to see three former heavyweight champions in the same room without a press conference involved. Lennox Lewis was there. Evander Holyfield was there. Even Sugar Ray Leonard showed up to see if Tyson could pull off one last miracle. It was a bit surreal seeing Tyson and Holyfield together, especially considering their, well, "ear-related" history. They seem to be on great terms now, though.
NBA giant Shaquille O'Neal was impossible to miss. He was hanging out with former NFL star Rob Gronkowski, and the two of them looked like they were having more fun than anyone else in the building. Shaq openly admitted he was there to see Tyson "whoop some ass." It didn't quite go that way, but hey, the vibes were high.
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The Dallas local flavor was strong too. Since the fight was in "Jerry World," Jerry Jones was omnipresent. He brought along Cowboys legend Michael Irvin and current star Micah Parsons. They were basically the welcoming committee for the event, which served as a massive commercial for Netflix's upcoming Christmas Day NFL games.
Hollywood and the Netflix Influence
Netflix didn't just stream the fight; they treated it like a massive company party. You had the cast of Cobra Kai out in force. Ralph Macchio and William Zabka were spotted, probably taking notes on striking techniques. Even the "pink soldiers" from Squid Game were seen in the crowd, which was a weird but effective bit of marketing.
Charlize Theron was a major standout ringside. She’s not someone you usually see at every celebrity boxing match, but she seemed locked into the action. Simu Liu from the Marvel universe was also spotted looking pretty casual in a grey tee, and Josh Duhamel was there with his wife, Audra Mari.
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Comedians were everywhere. Cedric the Entertainer and Rosie Perez were actually part of the official broadcast team. Mike Epps was in the building, as was Jeff Ross, who was probably just there to find new material to roast people with.
The Viral Stars and Music Names
You can’t have a Jake Paul event without the "internet famous" crowd. Haliey Welch, better known as the "Hawk Tuah" girl, made an appearance. Logan Paul was obviously there to support his brother, even joining him for the ring walk.
The music world represented well, too. Joe Jonas was spotted in the crowd, which makes sense since he grew up in the Dallas area. Tori Kelly had the high-pressure job of singing the National Anthem, and she absolutely crushed it. Daddy Yankee was also seen posing for photos with undercard star Amanda Serrano.
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A Quick Rundown of Other Faces in the Crowd
The list basically goes on forever, but here are some of the other notable celebrities at the Tyson fight that the cameras caught:
- Joey Fatone from NSYNC (who was probably just happy to be there).
- Hasan Minhaj looking a bit more serious than usual.
- Amber Rose and Jay Shetty.
- Jason Oppenheim from Selling Sunset.
- Arike Ogunbowale from the WNBA’s Dallas Wings.
- Governor Greg Abbott was sitting ringside.
Why the Stars Showed Up
A lot of these celebrities at the Tyson fight weren't just there for the boxing. This was a cultural moment. It was the first time Netflix tried to host a live sporting event of this scale. Despite the technical glitches and the somewhat lackluster pace of the main event, the star power proved that the "event" was bigger than the fight itself.
Most of these stars left looking a bit disappointed—mostly because the 8-round bout didn't deliver the knockout many were hoping for. Instead, we got a 27-year-old being respectful to a 58-year-old legend who just didn't have the gas left in the tank. But for those few hours, AT&T Stadium was the center of the universe.
If you are planning to attend or watch future "spectacle" fights like this, keep an eye on the promotional tie-ins. The presence of the Cobra Kai and Squid Game casts shows that these events are becoming massive cross-promotion hubs. Next time, expect even more Netflix-affiliated stars to be front and center.
For those looking to catch the replay or see the behind-the-scenes clips of these celebs, you can find most of the highlight reels directly on Netflix or through the fighters' social media channels. It’s worth a watch just to see Shaq and Gronk's reactions to the Tyson entrance.