Jake Paul’s company Most Valuable Promotions is snapping back at allegations that his fight with Mike Tyson was rigged.
Earlier this month, ‘The Problem Child’ danced his way to an uneventful unanimous decision victory over the ‘Baddest Man on the Planet’ in front of 72,000 fans inside AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas. Though it was one of the most watched combat sports events of all time — netting a reported 108 million streamers — many were frustrated with what the highly anticipated headliner delivered.
Immediately following the bout, Paul revealed that he had taken his foot off the gas pedal once he realized that the 58-year-old Tyson was running out of steam. That has led some fight fans to suggest that the whole thing was rigged — an accusation Paul has become quite familiar with in recent years.
Responding to the claim, MVP released a statement attempting to quell the accusations that Paul vs. Tyson was anything but a legitimate boxing match.
“MVP would like to set the record straight regarding the contractual agreements and the nature of the fight,” the statement read. “Rigging a profesisional boxing match is a federal crime in the United States of America. Paul vs Tyson was a professional match sanctioned by the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulations (TDLR).
“Both fighters in good faith performed to the best of their abilities with the goal of winning the fight. There were absolutely no restrictions — contractual or otherwise — around either fighter. Each boxer was able to use his full arsenal to win the fight. Any agreement to the contrary would violate TDLR boxing rules” (h/t Irish Independent).
Aside from bringing in a record-breaking audience worldwide on Netflix, ticket revenue for the event reportedly topped $18 million, putting it on par with Floyd Mayweather’s iconic clash against Oscar De La Hoya in May 2007.
“Trash talk and speculation are common in sports, and athletes and promoters need to tolerate nonsensical commentary, jokes, and opinions,” the statement continued. “But suggesting anything other than full effort from these fighters is not only naive but an insult to the work they put into their craft and to the sport itself.
“It is further illogical and inane that MVP, in the debut of a hopeful long-term partnership with the world’s biggest streamer — an organization that made its first-ever foray into live professional sports with Paul vs Tyson — would even so much as consider such a perverse violation of the rules of competition.”
Jake Paul’s business partner comments on rigging allegations
With the win over Tyson, Jake Paul is 11-1 in his boxing career, his lone loss coming against Tommy Fury in February 2023. Fury believes a rematch with ‘El Gallo’ is inevitable, but there are plenty of other fighters coming out of the woodwork to end Paul’s impressive run — Daniel Dubois, Artur Beterbiev, and even Francis Ngannou, to name a few.
Paul’s business partner Nakisa Bidarian offered her take on the slew of accusations levied against Paul in recent years, chalking it up to one simple sentiment — haters gonna hate.
“This is not the first time Jake Paul has faced unfounded skepticism or outright disbelief as a professional athlete, and frankly, the claim that his bout must have been rigged is just the latest backhanded compliment to come his way,” Bidarian said.
“From day one in this sport, people have doubted his abilities — unable to reconcile how someone with his background has accomplished so much in such a short time. Jake has not only proven himself repeatedly, but he has continuously set historic records that speak for themselves. This event, which broke attendance and viewership milestones for a professional sporting event, is yet another example of his ability to deliver on the biggest stage.
“As long as Jake continues to exceed expectations, there will always be those who try to discredit his achievements. We embrace the doubt — it only fuels Jake to work harder and achieve greater success.”
