The fight may be over, but Jake Paul’s team is not
letting controversy rest. After repeated claims that some of his bouts were
rigged, the YouTube star has instructed his lawyers to take legal action
against anyone spreading such allegations, reports givemesport.com.
Writing on X, Paul stated:
"After years of letting it slide as just ‘haters being haters,’ I have
asked my team to vigorously go after anyone who makes up lies about my boxing
career. Expect to get served, you pigs. I’ve dedicated my life to boxing, and I
will no longer let those with a public profile harm me or the sport I love and
respect, without consequences."
Paul, who made his professional boxing debut in 2020
at age 23, has hired high-profile attorney Alex Spiro, known for representing
Elon Musk and Jay-Z.
Despite the controversy, Paul was ultimately defeated
by two-time heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua in their Netflix-streamed bout.
After six rounds, Joshua delivered a devastating knockout, leaving Paul with a
double broken jaw.
Former UFC champion Israel Adesanya commented on the
fight via his YouTube channel, suggesting Joshua carried Paul through the bout:
"Honest thoughts on the fight. I feel like AJ carried Jake Paul to the
sixth round… But this is the best result, or the most realistic result, I
guess. But I know what my eyes were seeing in the early rounds."
In response to such comments, Nakisa Bidarian,
co-founder of Most Valuable Promotions, reinforced Paul’s intention to take
legal action. Speaking on the Ariel Helwani Show, Bidarian revealed that Paul’s
lawyers are targeting individuals who suggested there was any pre-fight
agreement or “script” between the fighters.
"Our lawyers are actively going after
a number of people, including one claiming to be a lawyer online,"
Bidarian said. "A post with around 200k likes claimed AJ agreed not to
knockout Jake, but AJ disregarded it. It’s astonishing what people will
say."
Bidarian firmly denied any pre-fight arrangement,
noting Joshua had openly stated he would be disappointed if he didn’t finish
the fight early.
Meanwhile, Joshua is set to hand over a substantial
portion of his earnings from the bout to tax authorities. As a UK resident, the
Watford-born fighter must pay both US and UK taxes. Reports from AceOdds
indicate that 37% of his prize money—approximately £25.6 million—will go to the
IRS. Although Florida has no state tax, Joshua still faces US federal income
tax.
Additionally, he must settle the difference between
his UK tax liability and US taxes already paid, amounting to roughly £5.5
million owed to HMRC. A further £1.4 million will go toward National Insurance
contributions, bringing his total tax bill to an eye-watering £32 million.
Comments:
Leave a Reply