Jake Paul Defeats Mike Tyson but Faces Fixing Allegations After Controversial Bout

The fight, which took place in front of a packed audience, saw Paul dominate Tyson over eight rounds. Despite his advantage, Paul notably refrained from pressing for a knockout, leading to speculation that the bout may not have been entirely authentic. The scorecards reflected Paul's superiority with unanimous scores of 80-72, 79-73, and 79-73. However, it was Paul’s apparent reluctance to go all-out that has prompted serious questions.

In the closing seconds of the fight, Paul even bowed to Tyson, and what was meant to be a respectful gesture has since been interpreted by some as a sign of an orchestrated match. To compound matters, Sara Bailey, the WBA world light flyweight champion, who was present as part of the undercard, openly expressed her belief that the fight was “fixed.” She stated to ES News, “Yeah, it was fixed, I’m sorry.” Fellow fighter Lucas Bahdi echoed these sentiments, suggesting Paul may have “taken it easy.”

Boos from sections of the crowd and an exodus of fans before the fight's official conclusion only fueled suspicions. In the post-fight press conference, Paul was asked about his apparent restraint during the bout. He admitted, “Yeah, definitely a bit. I wanted to give the fans a show but I didn’t want to hurt someone that didn’t need to be hurt.” He pointed out that Tyson’s lack of engagement was evident and attributed it to the boxing icon’s age catching up with him. “I could just tell his age was showing a little bit. That violence war thing… that went away as the rounds went on,” Paul explained.

The controversy is sure to continue to make headlines, as fans and boxing purists debate the integrity of this unusual matchup. Was it a genuine competition, or simply a choreographed event catering to spectacle over sport? Let us know your thoughts. Email us at talk@re-skeet.com to join the conversation.