Most Valuable Promotions (MVP) has issued a sharp rebuttal to conspiracy theories claiming the November 15 fight between Jake Paul and Mike Tyson at AT&T Stadium was rigged.
Speculation emerged online, driven by disbelief that the 58-year-old Tyson, once a fearsome knockout artist, struggled against the younger, active Paul instead of delivering his trademark power punches.
The allegations gained momentum when former NFL star Michael Irvin voiced his doubts during the sports talk show It Is What It Is. Irvin criticized the lack of Tyson‘s iconic uppercuts.
“I heard some people talking about they couldn’t put [Mike Tyson’s uppercut] in the contract,” he said. “He couldn’t body and then uppercut. Like, how can you put that in a fight contract?”
MVP defends the fight’s legitimacy
In response, MVP issued a detailed statement highlighting the legality of the match and dismissing claims as baseless.
“[Rigging a professional boxing match] is a federal crime in the United States,” the statement read, stressing that the bout was fully sanctioned by the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulations (TDLR).
“Each boxer was able to use his full arsenal to win the fight. Any agreement to the contrary would violate TDLR boxing rules.”
Tyson, who retired in 2005 after a loss to Kevin McBride, entered the match at an age where his physical capabilities were naturally diminished.
Facing the 27-year-old Paul, Tyson struggled to close the distance and utilize his signature power-a scenario that seems more attributable to age and health than conspiracy.
Netflix partnership at stake
MVP also emphasized the implausibility of jeopardizing its new partnership with Netflix, which streamed the fight to a reported 65 million households.
The company called suggestions of a fix “illogical and inane,” particularly for an event marking Netflix’s first venture into live professional sports.
The statement concluded by addressing broader concerns about boxing’s reputation.
“Trash talk and speculation are common in sports,” read the MVP statement.
“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.”
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