The promoters behind the highly publicized fight between Jake Paul and Anthony Joshua have enlisted lawyers to address claims that the bout was fixed. Nakisa Bidalian, who co-founded Most Valuable Promotions with Paul and serves as his business partner, emphasized their commitment to refuting these accusations. Bidalian, who previously acted as CFO during the $4.4 billion UFC sale and is prominent in boxing and other ventures, highlighted that despite many alleging Paul’s fights were rigged—except for his loss to Tommy Fury—Paul has always denied any wrongdoing. He stressed that rigging matches is a federal crime and insisted that all of Paul’s fights have been legitimate.
On a recent episode of The Ariel Helwani Show, Bidalian revealed that Paul and MVP’s legal team are actively investigating certain high-profile individuals spreading conspiracy theories. One notable claim that emerged online suggested there was a secret agreement preventing Anthony Joshua from knocking Paul out—an assertion the legal team is challenging. Bidalian also addressed comments made by Lou DiBella, who expressed skepticism about the authenticity of the fight but challenged Bidalian to take legal action. Bidalian firmly defended the legitimacy of the match, stressing that both the Paul-Joshua fight and Paul’s career fights adhere to professional standards. He pointed out that Joshua himself stated it would be a failure if he couldn’t win within the first round, countering the shifting narratives about the fight’s outcome as the event approached.
Fan Take: This news is crucial for fight fans as it highlights the ongoing tension between perception and reality in high-profile boxing events. Upholding the integrity of such fights is vital to preserving the sport’s credibility and the trust of its passionate audience.
