In the aftermath of Mike Tyson and Jake Paul's highly anticipated boxing match earlier this month, rumors began swirling that Tyson was contractually obligated to let Paul win, calling the legitimacy of 27-year-old's victory into question. Now, Paul's boxing promotion company that organized the match is firing back at those claims.
On Nov. 25, Most Valuable Promotions issued a statement deriding "the wide circulation of incorrect and baseless claims that undermine the integrity of the Paul vs. Tyson event." The promotion pointed out that rigging a professional boxing match is a federal crime and that the fight was an officially sanctioned match that went on both Tyson and Paul's records.
"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," the denial continued. "Each boxer was able to use his full arsenal to win the fight. Any agreement to the contrary would violate [Texas Department of Licensing and Regulations] boxing rules."
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The statement went on to call out the notions floated by commentators like NFL Hall of Famer Michael Irvin.
"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," the company said. "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."
MVP co-founder Nakisa Bidarian took aim at anyone who seemingly couldn't believe that the legendary Mike Tyson could be beaten by a YouTuber-turned-boxer.
"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," the statement concluded. "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."
Who Paul fights next remains to be seen, though he's already called out MMA star Conor McGregor for another novelty fight.
