Terence Crawford has made a bold claim about Mike Tyson and Jake Paul. And his words have once again sparked debate around their 2024 fight. Speaking on The Joe Rogan Experience podcast, Terence Crawford said he believes the bout between Mike Tyson and Jake Paul was “scripted. ” The fight took place in November 2024 and ended with Paul winning by decision. Tyson was 58 years old at the time. Many fans felt he did not look like his usual self inside the ring.
Now, Crawford has shared what he thinks really happened. The former three-weight undisputed world champion said Tyson looked like he was holding back. He also said it was painful to watch an icon perform that way. The fight had already divided opinion. Some fans blamed Tyson’s age. Others questioned whether the contest was fully competitive. Paul’s promotional company, Most Valuable Promotions (MVP), has always denied any fixed-fight claims.
Terence Crawford says Mike Tyson looked like he was holding back against Jake Paul
On the podcast, Crawford did not hide his feelings. He first spoke about Tyson possibly fighting Floyd Mayweather next. He said clearly, “He’s not going to land a fist on Mayweather. Not after his last performance. ”
Then he addressed the Paul fight directly. When asked if he believed it was fake, Crawford replied, “I don’t know.
I think it was scripted. ”
He continued by pointing to something unusual he noticed in the ring. “I ain’t never seen Tyson biting his gloves. It was taking all that he could not to hit him. It’s heartbreaking seeing an icon go out like that.”
Joe Rogan mentioned that Tyson reportedly earned around $20 million for the fight. But Crawford said money should not have been the reason.
“He shouldn’t have been in there. At all. I think there are other ways [to make money]. With all his connections and things like that, I think people could have put him in the right position to make some money,” Crawford added.
MVP co-founder Nakisa Bidarian has strongly rejected any claims of wrongdoing. He said, “Breaking news, there is no news. Stop spreading fake news. There’s no truth to all this stuff around Jake Paul and Mike Tyson.”
Since that fight, Paul later faced Anthony Joshua and suffered his first knockout loss, ending the bout with a broken jaw. That result, supporters say, shows there were no special agreements protecting him.
Still, Crawford’s comments have added fresh fuel to the debate. Fans remain split. Some agree with him. Others believe Tyson simply showed his age.
One thing is clear, the discussion around that fight is far from over.
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