YouTuber-turned-boxer Jake Paul has built a career on trash talk, but Matchroom Boxing executive Eddie Hearn might have a very expensive lesson for him. Following Paul’s accusations that Matchroom were fixing fights, Eddie Hearn has filed a defamation lawsuit in excess of of $100 million, according to Hearn’s attorney, Frank Salzano.
“Both legally and ethically there is a clear line separating opinion from defamatory lies. Jake Paul knows that, and he purposely crossed that line when he wrongly accused Matchroom Boxing and Eddie Hearn of fixing fights.”
Eddie Hearn Files $100M Lawsuit Against Jake Paul for “Defamation” Amid Match Fixing Accusations
Nonetheless he was still given an opportunity to retract his defamatory statements and refused to. Now he will face the legal consequences of his actions as Matchroom and Mr. Hearn will be seeking damages in well excess of $100 million given the value and goodwill attached to the Matchroom business and the harmful nature of Mr. Paul’s comments.”
Although Hearn and Paul seemed to have an amicable working environment in the build-up to the historic Taylor vs Serrano fight at Madison Square Garden, it’s clear that the relationship between the two has deteriorated since. In fact, the match-fixing accusations date back to Katie Taylor’s remarkable comeback victory over Serrano in that fight. Jake Paul made the accusation in an interview with IFL TV. Specifically, he accused Matchroom of paying judge Glenn Feldman to give the fight to Katie Taylor.
“I still think Amanda Serrano won the fight [over Katie Taylor]. Then you see how this judge Glenn Feldman, who had the biggest gap between Taylor and Serrano. Everyone pretty much had it a draw… a draw or that Amanda won. But there’s this judge, Glenn Feldman, who scored it such a big gap for Taylor, gave rounds that Amanda clearly won, to Taylor.
Then this judge, Glenn Feldman, shows up in Saudi and scores Anthony Joshua to win [over Oleksandr Usyk]. Everyone who watched the fight [knows] it’s not a split decision. Usyk had a runaway victory, clearly won the fight. This judge, Glenn Feldman, gives it to Anthony Joshua? It’s like a repeated crime here. This type of s***, I’m going to call it out here in boxing because it’s bulls***. Clearly, this guy is getting paid money by Matchroom Boxing.”
Hearn’s team is currently seeking a jury trial. “[Paul’s] defamatory statements were made with malicious intent and have caused financial and reputational harm to [Hearn and Matchroom], which is precisely what [Paul] intended when he made the outlandish accusations.”
Do you think the fights were fixed? Let us know in the comments.
