Jake Paul’s unconventional boxing journey has taken yet another controversial turn with his latest fight against boxing legend Mike Tyson. At 58 years old, Tyson is well past his prime, raising questions about the legitimacy of the match. Streaming live on Netflix, the bout lasted eight rounds and saw Jake Paul emerge victorious. 
, the fight has sparked intense debate, with some fans and analysts accusing it of being rigged.
Paul’s promotional company, Most Valuable Promotions (MVP), swiftly addressed the allegations, stating, “Rigging a professional boxing match is a federal crime in the U.S. 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.” Despite this, prominent combat sports journalist Kevin Iole was critical, arguing that the fight epitomized what he views as a problematic approach to boxing by Paul.
Iole, who has deep ties in the combat sports community, reflected on Tyson’s performance, reminding audiences of the legendary boxer’s struggles in his final official matches two decades ago. He pointed to losses against Danny Williams and Kevin McBride, fighters who, in his words, would have been insignificant opponents during Tyson’s prime. He remarked, “In his last two fights, he was completely shot and couldn’t do anything. How did you think that 20 years later, at 58 years old, he was somehow going to find the Fountain of Youth?”
The journalist didn’t reserve his criticism for Tyson alone, directing significant scrutiny at Jake Paul’s matchmaking choices. Comparing Paul’s rise in boxing to an amateur golfer aspiring to win the Masters after just a few years of practice, Iole dismissed the notion that Paul’s improvements translate to mastery. He described Paul as “a mid-level, cruiserweight boxer” and stated bluntly, “He is not going to be a world champion or ranked on any pound-for-pound list.”
Paul’s manager and co-founder of MVP, Nakisa Bidarian, strongly defended Paul against these criticisms. In a recent statement, Bidarian asserted, “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.”
Paul himself has addressed the backlash, often using colorful language to counter accusations of rigging. Speaking on his brother Logan’s podcast, Paul rejected claims that the fight was staged, emphasizing the challenges he faced against Tyson’s defensive skills. He admitted he missed more punches than expected due to Tyson’s elusiveness and clarified that the punches thrown during the fight were far from theatrical.
While Paul continues to push back against his critics, the conversation about his future in boxing persists. The key question remains: will Jake Paul ever face an elite boxer in their prime, or will he continue to build his career by fighting opponents whose best days are long behind them? For now, his journey continues to divide fans and analysts, leaving the debate over his legitimacy as a boxer unresolved.