Jake Paul’s promotional company has issued a furious response to ‘incorrect and baseless’ claims that his recent win over Mike Tyson was rigged.
Paul, 27, completely dominated a 58-year-old Tyson earlier this month in a controversial event watched by more than 70,000 fans at Arlington’s AT&T Stadium and over 65 million across the globe on Netflix.
However, the YouTuber-turned-boxer’s embarrassingly one-sided victory led many to believe the two men were following a script on the night.
In a statement on Monday, Paul’s Most Valuable Promotions outfit said: ‘Rigging a professional 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.’
Jake Paul’s MVP has issued a furious response to claims his win over Mike Tyson was rigged
MVP’s statement added that ‘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,’ it concluded.
Paul’s MVP co-founder Nakisa Bidarian also spoke out on the accusations thrown their way over the past week, describing them as a ‘backhanded compliment’.
‘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.’
