By
Lisa Spencer
Senior Editor Updated: 02 December 2024
Lisa Spencer Senior Editor
As a Senior Editor at Betting.US, Lisa Spencer is a valuable member of our expert team. With a Master’s degree in Applied Mathematics, Lisa is adept in gambling theory and analyzing odds. She contributes by writing online sportsbook reviews and finding competitive markets to help our readers make an informed choice.
The highly anticipated fight between Jake Paul and boxing legend Mike Tyson raised significant controversy and even brought about new betting regulations in New Jersey. There were allegations of fight rigging way before the event took place on November 15, 2024. Red flags included the considerable age disparity and modified rules. But what happened exactly? Let’s find out together.
As we mentioned, there were several concerns even before the fight aired. One of the major ones was the modified rules. To begin with, both Paul and Tyson wore 14-ounce gloves as opposed to the standard 10-ounce gloves. In addition, there were 8 rounds lasting 2 minutes each instead of the usual 10 or 12 3-minute rounds.
The age gap between the two fighters also raised a lot of eyebrows, with Mike Tyson, 58, being 31 years older than the 27-year-old Jake Paul. Commentators like UFC’s Sean Strickland and YouTuber KSI condemned the matchup, calling it “elderly abuse”. And while this might be an exaggeration, the event did highlight the broader implications for combat sports integrity.
Following Paul’s expected victory, critics pointed to the significant influence of Most Valuable Promotions (MVP), co-founded by Paul, as a potential conflict of interest. MVP was essentially one of the event’s key promoters and organizers and played a role in handling logistics, marketing, and financial arrangements. MVP has since firmly denied these accusations.
The Tyson vs Paul fight was broadcasted live on Netflix, but this also didn’t go smoothly. There were technical issues throughout the event, including with the streaming, including outages, glitches, and buffering. Netflix apologized for the inconvenience and attributed the problems to the unprecedented 65 million concurrent viewers.
Amid the scandal, the New Jersey State Athletic Control Board (SACB) has adopted new regulations to address and strengthen combat sports integrity. Fighters, referees, trainers, and other employees, members and officials are prohibited from wagering on combat sports events around the world. Promoters, agents and managers are also prohibited from betting on in-state events.
With this action, we are safeguarding the integrity of combative sports events. By implementing these standards, we are sending a clear message that unethical behavior will not be tolerated in New Jersey’s combative sports industry.
– said Larry Hazzard Sr., Commissioner of the State Athletic Control Board (SACB).
That said, SACB personnel are prohibited from working for sportsbooks and their affiliates. Additionally, staff members will have to undergo training to get familiar with the new regulations and how to uphold them. Another thing is that New Jersey banned prop bets on college athletes from New Jersey and out-of-state teams who are playing in New Jersey.
The Tyson vs. Paul fight underscores the complexities of balancing entertainment with ethics and integrity in combat sports. It also put more focus on the importance of creating a responsible and safe gambling environment. Considering the rapid expansion of sports betting in the US, states are bound to face challenges in the future.
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