Claims that the recent record-breaking boxing match between Jake Paul and Mike Tyson was rigged are “incorrect and baseless … illogical and inane,” the fight’s promoter said in a statement Monday.
Paul won the controversial bout, which was the most-streamed global sporting event in history, via unanimous decision after eight two-minute rounds, with judges scoring the fight 80-72, 79-73, 79-73.
Most Valuable Promotions (MVP), which was co-founded by Paul, defended the authenticity of the YouTuber-turned-boxer’s victory, writing that suggestions to the contrary were “fictitious.”
The statement read: “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 (Texas Department of Licensing and Regulations) boxing rules.
“Trash talk and speculation are common in sports, and athletes and promoters need to tolerate nonsensical commentary, jokes and opinions. But suggesting anything other than full effort from these fighters is not only naïve 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.”
The bout was streamed on Netflix and saw peak viewing figures of 65 million. More than 72,000 attended the match at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, paying a total of $18,117,072 to do so – the most for any US fight ever outside of Las Vegas.
The event also broke various betting records according to ESPN, with both BetMGM and ESPN BET reporting that more money had been wagered on the fight than on any other combat event in either company’s history.
However, the fight drew criticism from across social media and the boxing world. Hall of Famer Oscar De La Hoya was among those who questioned the legitimacy of the result.
“Everyone is talking about how staged this fight was,” said De La Hoya, who is now a promoter, on Instagram. “I do believe it was scripted, and I believe that Tyson was certainly held back.
“Look, I’m a fighter and I can see it. It goes on the record, and it was sanctioned, so Jake Paul paid to get the W on his record. For what? For your own personal satisfaction?”
Paul’s own comments after the match added to the controversy. The 27-year-old told a press conference that he “definitely” took his foot off the gas, adding that “I wanted to give the fans a show, but I didn’t want to hurt someone that didn’t need to be hurt.”
Nakisa Bidarian, who is MVP’s other co-founder, defended Paul, claiming that those questioning the result are in denial about the former streamer’s boxing ability.
“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.
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