Most Valuable Promotions has responded to claims that the Tyson vs Paul fight was 'rigged'.
The final bell has rung and the gloves are down, but that doesn’t mean we’ve stopped talking about the Jake Paul vs Mike Tyson fight. November 15 saw millions around the globe tune in to watch “The Problem Child” take on “Iron Mike” in what was supposed to be a fight of the century.
Although Netflix, Paul, and Tyson all made a pretty penny from the bout, audiences and pros alike were left feeling ‘bored’ as the pair danced around the ring for eight rounds.
Alongside controversial rule changes and KSI calling the whole idea ‘disgusting’, the fight can’t seem to dodge allegations that it was fixed.
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Even though a ‘leaked’ script from beforehand was exposed as a fake, there are accusations that the former undisputed heavyweight champion was holding back.
This has led to a spike in boxers and MMA fighters saying they’ll put Paul in his place, so at least we know he’ll likely have plenty of business lined up.
Responding to claims the right was ’criminally rigged’ in a statement, Paul’s Most Valuable Promotions management has denied any wrongdoing.
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The statement reads as follows:
"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.”
Saying that suggesting the fight was fixed is an ‘insult’ to Paul and Tyson’s work, the statement adds: “Trash talk and speculation are common in sports, and athletes and promoters need to tolerate nonsensical commentary, jokes and opinions.
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“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.”
MVP maintains it would be ‘illogical’ and ‘inane’ that the company would damage its hopes of a long-term relationship with Netflix:
“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.”
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It’s true that Paul has an impressive track record, and despite his first fight being a white-collar against Deji Olatunji in 2018, he’s only lost one of his professional fights - losing to Tommy Fury based on decision.
Paul himself has given a more direct response to the claims that the right was rigged, referring to those who believe it as ‘dumb f**ks’ during his Impaulsive podcast.
There were always going to be those who called the fight out as fake, but it’s true that it would be pretty foolish to rig a sanctioned fight and commit a federal crime with millions watching.
It sounds like there’s only one way to settle this…it looks like Paul and Tyson will have to head into the ring for another fight.