It does not seem like the Paul brothers are getting out of the boxing ring any time soon — and another big name is apparently involved.
UFC star Conor McGregor wrote on X on Tuesday morning that he has "agreed" to take Logan Paul in a "boxing exhibition" in India.
McGregor was slated to return to UFC this past summer after breaking his leg in 2021 during a fight with Dustin Poirier, but injuries delayed his return.
The Irishman said he will "seek my return to the Octagon" after he fights Paul.
Paul, the older brother of Jake, shared McGregor's post on his Instagram Story and posted an eyes emoji, neither confirming nor denying McGregor's claim.
McGregor wrote that he was in discussions with the Ambani family, and the fight would be in India.
McGregor's announcement came roughly a month after Jake Paul defeated Mike Tyson in Dallas — it was a sanctioned fight, thus giving Tyson the seventh loss of his career against 50 victories, as Jake moved to 11-1.
The fight was criticized for what has become speculation that it was compromised, but Paul and his business partner, Nakisa Bidarian, who together co-founded Most Valuable Promotions, nixed any such discussion last month.
As for Logan, he has two professional fights on his record, his last of which wound up in his opponent, Dillon Danis, being disqualified for trying an MMA-style grapple and a guillotine chokehold attempt in the ring.
As the final seconds ticked, Danis attempted to put Paul into the guillotine, but Paul got out of it and threw a punch as Danis was on the mat. When Danis got up, the referee tried to keep them separated, but Danis went on the attack. Well over a dozen security guards jumped into the ring. Danis swung at security, and Paul's younger brother, Jake, got involved.
Security members on both sides jostled with one another, and Danis was disqualified. Although Paul held the unanimous lead through the first five rounds. After the fight, Paul called out McGregor, calling him a "little leprechaun."
The eldest Paul has made a name for himself in the WWE, even winning the United States Championship against Rey Mysterio.
Paul also had an exhibition bout against Floyd Mayweather in 2021.
Roughly a month after defeating Mike Tyson, Jake Paul has added to his boxing promotion roster.
Most Valuable Promotions on Friday announced the signing of two-time Canadian Olympian and amateur world champion Tammara "Tamm" Thibeault.
Thibeault will become the first woman in history to make her pro debut under men's rules - four three-minute rounds - when she steps in the ring on Friday at Most Valuable Prospects 10, with Paul and Amanda Serrano in attendance.
Thibeault competed at both the Tokyo and Paris Olympics, making the quarterfinals in the 2020 games; she did not have similar success this past summer, losing in the round of 16 as the third seed in the tournament.
However, Thibeault won gold in the middleweight class at the 2022 IBA Women's World Boxing Championships; she also took home the title at the 2023 Pan American Games.
"I am beyond excited to be part of Most Valuable Promotions," Thibeault said in a statement. "The moment has come to start a new adventure, and I truly believe that with MVP, I will have the opportunity to bring something great to women’s professional boxing. Amanda Serrano has been an incredible inspiration, championing women’s choice in this sport, and I’m proud to follow her example by competing under men’s rules—with three-minute rounds—against Natasha Spence in my pro debut today. This is only the beginning, and I can’t wait to start this amazing journey!"
"Tamm Thibeault has the skills inside and outside the ring to ensure she has a long and successful boxing career," Paul and MVP co-founder Nakisa Bidarian added. "As a two-time Canadian Olympian and amateur world champion, Tamm has already proven herself as one of the sport's brightest rising stars. Her decision to compete under men’s rules in her professional debut is a groundbreaking moment, and we’re honored to support her as she sets a new standard for what’s possible in women’s boxing. The anticipation for her pro debut on Most Valuable Prospects 10 tonight is just the beginning, and we’re excited to see her continue inspiring athletes worldwide and showcasing her talents in an MVP event in Canada in 2025."
Thibeault becomes the third woman on the roster, joining Serrano and Shadasia Green. Serrano's bout against Katie Taylor at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, was widely regarded as the fight of the night, while Green won the WBO super-middleweight belt earlier that evening.
Boxing legend Floyd Mayweather was out shopping in London this week when he and his entourage were seemingly targeted by an angry mob that, according to reports, were furious over his support for Israel.
Several videos posted to social media showed the former boxing champion surrounded by a group of people while shopping at Hatton Gardens in London. The crowd, seemingly more agitated, followed Mayweather into the street.
Videos showed the angry group shouting expletives as Mayweather’s security attempted to get him into a black SUV and away from the scene.
According to reports, it was Mayweather’s support of Israel that agitated the crowd.
A source told The Sun that someone had questioned Mayweather over his support while shopping, to which the American boxer doubled down. The source added that someone then "took a swing" at Mayweather.
"Floyd took a few hits during it, but his security was trying to push people back," the source told the outlet.
Floyd addressed the reports with a statement posted to Instagram on Tuesday. He denied being "touched in any way."
"Let me set the record straight... there's no truth to the rumors going around. I wasn't punched or touched in any way. What you're seeing is just my security doing their job to keep things under control.
"I was in the UK for a quick 48-hour stop to do some shopping, and unfortunately, people let jealousy and negativity fuel false stories," he continued. "I'm perfectly fine, and there's really nothing more to it."
The dustup comes just days after Mayweather announced the "Mayweather Israel Initiative," aimed at offering support to orphans.
"Over the next year, every orphan in Israel will be visited by the Floyd Mobile and receive special birthday gifts. To all the widows and orphans: keep your heads held high as we honor the cherished memories of those who have passed," he wrote in a post on Instagram.
Mayweather, 47, has been outspoken about his support for Israel. He has taken several trips there and in October met with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
"It was an honor to meet with you today. Your strength and courage are unmatched, and your commitment to protecting the Jewish people and citizens of Israel is truly inspiring. Keep using your voice and never back down," he said in a post at the time.
"This week in Israel has been deeply emotional for me. Visiting injured soldiers, meeting families of fallen heroes, and connecting with the people of Israel has been a humbling experience."
The world watched Imane Khelif win Olympic gold in women's boxing at the Paris Olympics. It then went to Google searching for answers to many, many confusing questions.
Google released its "Year in Search" data this week and revealed that the most-searched athlete on the platform in 2024 was Khelif. Khelif was searched more than celebrity superstar athletes Simone Biles, Jake Paul and Mike Tyson.
The Algerian boxer incited mass controversy by competing as a woman in the Paris Olympics despite allegedly being born with the XY chromosomes, which are associated with males.
Khelif's inclusion and run all the way to a gold medal was one of the biggest controversies of a controversy-filled Summer Olympics this year. Google's latest search data suggests it may have been the biggest sports controversy in the world this past year.
The moment that first captured the attention of millions was when Khelif was seen punching Italian boxer Angela Carini in the face with irregular power and force seen in the women's sport. Carini withdrew from the match in just 46 seconds, in tears, and cried about how painful the experience was afterward.
"I got into the ring to fight," Carini said in Paris, via Italy’s ANSA. "I didn't give up, but one punch hurt too much. And, so, I said ‘enough.'"
Those who went to find out more about Khelif after that moment on Google after that may have learned of past instances in which the boxer was previously disqualified from international competition.
Khelif was disqualified from the 2023 championships before a gold medal bout over gender eligibility issues. The International Boxing Association (IBA) President Umar Kremlev released a statement to Russia’s TASS Agency about why Khelif was disqualified.
"Based on DNA tests, we identified a number of athletes who tried to trick their colleagues into posing as women. According to the results of the tests, it was proved that they have XY chromosomes. Such athletes were excluded from competition," Kremlev said.
The Algerian Olympic Committee said at the time that Khelif was disqualified for "medical reasons." Algerian media reported that Khelif was disqualified for high testosterone levels, according to Reuters. Khelif claimed the disqualification was part of a "conspiracy" to prevent Algeria from winning gold.
"There are some countries that did not want Algeria to win a gold medal," Khelif told Algerian Ennahar TV. "This is a conspiracy and a big conspiracy, and we will not be silent about it."
The International Olympic Committee (IOC) and President Thomas Bach vigorously defended Khelif's inclusion, insisting the boxer complied with all necessary qualifications to compete in the Olympics as a woman. In an Aug. 1 statement, the IOC claimed that Khelif "complies with the competition’s eligibility and entry regulations, as well as all applicable medical regulations set by the Paris 2024 Boxing Unit (PBU)."
The IBA released a statement before Khelif’s match and explained why the fighter was disqualified, claiming Khelif underwent two tests, in 2022 and in 2023, failing both of them.
"Our Committees have rigorously reviewed and endorsed the decision made during the World Championships," the IBA said. "While IBA remains committed to ensuring competitive fairness in all of our events, we express concern over the inconsistent application of eligibility criteria by other sporting organizations, including those overseeing the Olympic Games. The IOC’s differing regulations on these matters, in which IBA is not involved, raise serious questions about both competitive fairness and athletes’ safety."
The controversy became so topical all over the world that even President-elect Donald Trump weighed in on it during a rally in August, referencing Khelif's bout vs. Carini.
"Now all you have to do is look at the boxers," Trump said. "This young girl from Italy, a champion boxer, she got hit so hard she didn't know what the hell hit her. It's a person that transitioned," Trump said of Khelif. "He was a good male boxer. And (Carini) didn't even go down. He hit her with two jabs and she said, 'I'm out.'"
After Trump used footage of Khelif's Olympic boxing matches in campaign ads where he vowed to end trans inclusion in women's sports, Khelif spoke out against Trump.
"I have seen that there are many politicians and presidents who speak without a source, and it is something strange, because they make statements without a basis, without reality," Khelif said, via The Telegraph.
Khelif has filed a lawsuit against multiple people, including Elon Musk and J.K. Rowling, who criticized the athlete and the IOC for the inclusion, alleging sex-based "acts of aggravated cyber harassment."
Khelif threatened another lawsuit in November against a French journalist over a report that alleged the boxer had testicles.
"We will meet with the French journalist in court," the Algerian athlete said via NDTV.
Boxer Angela Carini won her eighth Italian women's title Sunday, marking a comeback after withdrawing against a controversial opponent at the Paris Olympics.
"Tonight was my revenge," Carini told reporters after the match, via The Telegraph, months after she was beaten in the face in front of a global audience by an athlete whose birth gender has been questioned.
Carini, 26, withdrew from her bout against Algeria's Imane Khelif in Paris after several powerful blows to the head. Khelif's inclusion at the Olympics was the biggest controversy of the Paris games after the Algerian had failed gender eligibility tests to compete in other international women's boxing events.
Khelif was disqualified from the 2023 International Boxing Association (IBA) World Championships, and IBA President Umar Kremlev said the boxer had "XY chromosomes," which are associated with biological males.
Carini previously told reporters her objective in the Olympics was to win a medal for her late father.
Khelif won gold in Paris and wasn't the only boxer to win a women's gold who has been disqualified for failing gender eligibility tests. Taiwan's Lin Yu-ting also won gold in another women's weight class in Paris, prompting similar outrage.
The International Olympics Committee (IOC) defended Khelif and Yu-ting's inclusion in the women's events until the very end.
Khelif later filed a lawsuit against multiple people, including Elon Musk and J.K. Rowling, who criticized the athlete and the IOC for the inclusion, alleging sex-based "acts of aggravated cyber harassment."
Khelif threatened another lawsuit in November against a French journalist over a report that alleged the boxer had testicles.
"We will meet with the French journalist in court," the Algerian athlete said via NDTV.
Carini previously said she wanted to "apologize" to Khelif for the withdrawal that brought negative attention to the Algerian.
"All this controversy makes me sad," Carini said, via the BBC. "I'm sorry for my opponent, too. If the IOC said she can fight, I respect that decision."
Carini gave Khelif the cold shoulder after the fight and said she regretted it.
"It wasn't something I intended to do," Carini said. "Actually, I want to apologize to her and everyone else. I was angry because my Olympics had gone up in smoke."
Still, Carini felt that some sense of "revenge" was fulfilled Sunday.
Legendary boxer Mike Tyson broke records during his highly anticipated return to the ring to fight Jake Paul last month.
However, one company is saying he broke something else, leading to a massive lawsuit filed in London’s High Court on Monday.
Tyson and his company, Tyrannic, are being sued for more than $1.5 million by Medier, which promotes the betting company Rabona, alleging he unjustly terminated their promotional deal in March.
The suit claimed that Tyson alleged Medier breached their agreement, which was signed in January. But the company is refuting that now.
"The true reason for Mr. Tyson and Tyrannic’s hasty and unlawful termination was because Mr. Tyson had agreed [to] a deal, sponsored by Netflix, to fight the influencer Jake Paul," the lawsuit says.
Tyson’s lawyers said Medier breached the contract after failing to obtain Tyson’s approval of promotional materials.
Medier is seeking more than $800,000 returned in fees paid to Tyson "for which no services were provided" as well as $729,000 in "wasted production and promotion costs," per the lawsuit.
While Tyson lost the sanctioned fight, which goes on his professional boxing record, he received a reported $20 million for the bout against Paul.
More than 72,000 fans were at AT&T Stadium in Dallas to watch the bout, in addition to the millions watching on Netflix.
More than 108 million viewers watched the event, and though it wasn’t the best boxing match, it was the most streamed sporting event in history.
Sydney Thomas may have been the biggest winner to come out of the spectacle that was the Jake Paul and Mike Tyson fight last month.
Thomas’ social media following skyrocketed while she also received her own trading card in a partnership with Leaf. As her popularity grows, Thomas revealed in a recent interview the message she got from Paul before she went viral.
"I talked to him at the fight and he was just like, 'Keep doing your thing,’" Thomas told People magazine, adding that the boxer said she was "doing a great job."
Thomas, who is also a model, said she’s been receiving all kinds of direct messages, especially from those looking to take her on a date. She made clear that wasn’t something she was looking for right now, even after she broke up with her boyfriend over the summer.
"I don't even care to read through any of that," she told People. "I'm so happy with myself, and that's where all my time is going, so anyone reaching out who's wanting to be with me, it's just slipping right on by because I do not have any intention to involve myself with that."
She said she has to make sure she keeps a good "circle" around her as she navigates the murky waters that come with status and popularity.
"I have a lot of people in my circle that are very trustworthy in that I can lean on with these things," Thomas said. "It’s a lot. A lot of people have come at me, saying a lot of things, giving their two cents, but I am blessed to have fallen in with the right people to be able to trust them and the advice they’re giving me, lead me in the right direction, and ease my mind and just know that I’m on the right path."
"In terms of this fight specifically, I will say the following: It was sanctioned by the athletic commission. Our partner was Netflix, who is the biggest media company in America and is a public entity. There was professional sports betting on the event," co-founder Nakisa Bidarian said.
"So, if you were to rig such competition, it is a federal crime. And myself, Jake Paul, Mike Tyson, executives from Netflix would all be going to jail. They would be risking their entire company, and we would be risking our entire lives to do that. It is preposterous that people even suggest that this was in any way anything other than a professional fight. … That was not the case in any Jake fight, let alone this one.
"This was 100% real from beginning to end," he added. "It was so real that the guy had an ulcer, and we took a five-month break to give him time to heal the ulcer to be able to perform at his best level. If it was staged, why did we even postpone it? We could have just moved forward with the date: ‘Oh, you have an ulcer, you’re not going to hit each other. It’s going to be fine.’ What are people talking about?"
Paul is 11-1 in his career, including six knockouts.
Most Valuable Promotions (MVP) made sure to nix any speculation that the Jake Paul-Mike Tyson fight was compromised in any capacity, but in case you needed more evidence, one of the ring girls from that night is giving it.
MVP co-founder Nakisa Bidarian said in a recent interview with Fox News Digital that the fight was "100% real from beginning to end."
The speculation was already present well before the fight, but one moment that prompted fireworks led to even more talk of possible staging.
Tyson slapped Paul across the face at the weigh-in, saying Paul had stepped on his toe. Several people needed to separate Tyson from Paul, causing a melee on the stage.
Fans pointed to the ring girls behind them, who continued to pose and smile, as evidence that it was all planned. But Sydney Thomas, who has since nearly doubled her social media following, says they had no choice but to not react.
"I was so shocked that it happened. I was not expecting that at all. … But our job as event models is to stand there and smile, we’re not really supposed to react. You’re not supposed to change what you’re doing. You’re supposed to be in the background of all the pictures and not have these big reactions," Thomas told Fox News Digital in a recent interview.
"I’m like, ‘Oh! He just slapped him!’ But I have to hold this smile the whole time. In my head, I’m like, ‘No way. But keep smiling! They’re taking so many pictures, this moment’s going to go so viral. I got to be looking good back here!' That was my thought process.
"A lot of people, too, had drawn a line [and] said, ‘This has to be staged. There’s no way that’s real. The models in the back didn’t even react.’ They were saying it was on us for the reason why it was looking so fake, because we didn’t react. That’s our entire job. We’re paid to stand there and smile. We’re professional at it. We’re not going to have these reactions. It was shocking, but that’s our job."
MVP ripped any notion that the fight was rigged in any form.
"If you were to rig such competition, it is a federal crime. And myself, Jake Paul, Mike Tyson, executives from Netflix would all be going to jail. They would be risking their entire company, and we would be risking our entire lives to do that," Bidarian told Fox News Digital last week. "It is preposterous that people even suggest that this was in any way anything other than a professional fight. … That was not the case in any Jake fight, let alone this one."
Thomas recently hit 1 million followers on TikTok and boasts more than 750,000 on other social media.
Jake Paul’s next opponent in the ring has been highly debated after defeating Mike Tyson by unanimous decision, but one boxer is very serious about making it happen.
In fact, Ryan Garcia vowed to end Paul’s entire boxing career if they could set something up.
"He was trying to beat up on Uncle Mike," Garcia said on Uncrowned’s "The Ariel Helwani Show" on Tuesday. "Like I said, the same way I feel about Manny Pacquiao, the same way I feel about this.
"We said we could run it one day. He came to my gym a long time ago in Victorville, then he came to visit me with the Canelo [Alvarez] camp — this is before he boxed. So, I kind of gave birth to his boxing career, so I’m here to end it. That’s it."
Garcia already has a fight on the books for the end of this year, as he’s set to go against Rukiya Anpo in Tokyo on Dec. 30.
Anpo took on Manny Pacquiao back in July, which led Garcia to want to fight him. It’s a similar situation now with Garcia wanting to fight Paul.
However, Oscar De La Hoya, who owns Golden Boy Promotions which Garcia is signed under, laid down the hammer on Tuesday night regarding the boxer’s exhibition with Anpo.
"Golden Boy Promotions has exclusive rights to Ryan Garcia’s fights," he posted on X. "The organizers of this event have acknowledged as such and have agreed in writing that our sign-off is needed for this event to occur. As no such sign-off has been given, as of today there is no event with Ryan Garcia."
Garcia is still serving a one-year suspension, which expires in April 2025, after testing positive for the banned substance ostarine before his bout with Devin Haney, which was ruled no contest despite him winning in the ring.
The ban prevents Garcia from participating in professional boxing, though it’s the reason why he agreed to an exhibition, which isn’t considered a pro match.
Garcia went on a rollercoaster ride leading up to the Haney bout, with many questioning if he was even in the right headspace to be getting in a ring. Garcia broke down on live streams, claiming to be smoking marijuana and was criticized for his erratic behavior.
"I was going through a hard time in my life, and I’m thankful that I got through that moment in my life," Garcia told Helwani. "I’m much more calm, and I think that’s the way I want to live — not so much craziness in my life. It’s not good for me."
Now, if a Garcia-Paul fight were to get on the books, it would be interesting to see what weight class these two would fight at. Paul beefed up to fight Tyson in the sanctioned fight, and Garcia even said he would move up to 185 pounds if need be.
Garcia walks around at 165 to 170 pounds, though he said he planned to return to 140 or 147 pounds when he is able to resume his pro career.
Weight doesn’t matter for Garcia, though, as he’s confident he would have Paul on the canvas.
"If Jake fights the way he fought with Mike, I genuinely believe I would knock him out within four (or) five rounds," Garcia said.
Thomas, who just turned 21 on Tuesday, went viral on social media after she was selected to be one of the ring girls for the Jake Paul-Mike Tyson fight.
Thomas had a social media following prior, which is what originally got her the nod for the fight. She actually could not go to the first date, but when it was postponed to November after Tyson's ulcer, Thomas was still top of mind, and she jumped at what she thought was a missed opportunity.
Then all it took was a couple of posts to blow up.
Thomas posted several TikTok videos from Arlington, Texas, but after 60 million households watched her on Netflix, plug Tyson's viral slap of Paul the night before, her phone began to blow up.
"It really hit me more after the fight when I woke up. I had gone up 200,000 followers," Thomas said in a recent interview with Fox News Digital. "I knew a lot of attention was around it when Tyson slapped Paul. Everyone was focused on the ring girls in the background, and I was like, ‘We’re getting so much attention from this.’"
It should go without saying that the Alabama student's Instagram and TikTok DMs are flooded, and one should be willing to bank on some messages not being very pleasant.
But Thomas said she has put herself around a good "circle" to keep herself in the right headspace.
"I have a lot of people in my circle that are very trustworthy in that I can lean on with these things," Thomas said. "It’s a lot. A lot of people have come at me, saying a lot of things, giving their two cents, but I am blessed to have fallen in with the right people to be able to trust them and the advice they’re giving me, lead me in the right direction, and ease my mind and just know that I’m on the right path."
Over the weekend, Thomas went to Las Vegas for F1 weekend. She humbly bragged that it was her idea to make the trip "while my face is still out there." It's also not a bad place to spend a 21st birthday weekend.
But her face could still be around for a while: One of Thomas' short-term goals is being a Sports Illustrated swimsuit model, which seems to be in a promising state.
"There have been a lot of conversations around that. I have a few people that have been in contact. … I would love to do it. I think since it’s been a goal of mine, a small milestone, I would love to do it. Hopefully, that can be a thing. We’ll see," she said.
But Thomas is currently an entrepreneurship major in Tuscaloosa, taking online classes to keep up with her busy schedule.
"My head has always been in the entrepreneurial space," Thomas said. "My end goal was to always build up my social media, my platform, my personal brand and then start something out of that that can last forever and make money in my sleep. I am going to work on continuing to build what I have in the media platforms and build stronger connections with my fan base, and then hopefully can turn that into something I can make a living off of."
That all sounds nice. But there is a deeper meaning for the young Thomas, whose personality is much more mature than it may seem on social media.
"But more long-term, greater goals, I have always been driven to do something that can impact people’s lives in a good way and a positive way, and I think that’s the true meaning of success," Thomas added. "Money is great, but when I die, I want to be able to say that I changed someone’s life in a positive way or left a positive mark on the world. I now have this platform to share things with. I would love to be able to do [some] positive things with it.
"I have some ideas on where I want to go with it, but definitely just use it for good, because I think there are so many people that are given platforms and kind of chase the money. That’s a goal, but at the same time, I want to use it in the right way."
A Ukranian boxing champion is at odds with Joe Rogan's claim that the Biden administration could "potentially start World War III" regarding Ukraine's conflict with Russia.
Rogan recently ripped the Biden administration for its handling of the Russia-Ukraine conflict — the podcaster said that the administration's call for Ukraine to use American missiles to strike Russia is a sign that they are "about to start World War III."
Wladimir Klitschko, whose brother Vitali is the mayor of Kyiv, replied with a video on X that he captioned, simply, "@joerogan, I disagree."
"You talk about these American weapons being sent to Ukraine, which you believe will lead to the Third World War, so let me tell you that you’re repeating Russian propaganda," Klitschko said. "Putin’s Russia is in trouble, so they want to scare you and people like you. His war was supposed to last three days. It has lasted three years thanks to the heroism and sacrifice of us Ukrainians. So you’re using the only weapon that Putin really intends to use, propaganda, and this weapon really weakens our democracies."
It appeared that Klitschko then mistook a fan account for Rogan, as the fan account wrote, "Does this make sense to anyone or just an attempt to get on the podcast?" Klitschko reposted that, challenging Rogan to get him on the podcast, although the message wasn't publicly sent to Rogan.
"Fear Factor = Offering a public opinion about a nation, but not able to discuss your opinion and facts with another public figure of the nation you had the opinion about. We would only meet in the podcast ring not in the boxing ring. Let’s do it! What are you waiting for?" Klitschko wrote.
Biden's decision was spurred by the Russian decision to invite 10,000 North Korean soldiers into the fight against Ukraine in Kursk. A second official told Fox News that it is unclear if Biden plans to approve the use of the missiles outside the Kursk region.
Russian President Vladimir Putin has previously said the U.S.'s approval of such missile strikes would constitute an act of war.
Fox News' Anders Hagstrom, Andrea Margolis, and Jennifer Griffin contributed to this report.
Sydney Thomas’ popularity skyrocketed following her appearance at the Jake Paul-Mike Tyson fight as one of the ring girls.
Thomas, a 21-year-old University of Alabama student and model, was seen at weigh-ins and during the major spectacle that took place at AT&T Stadium. She captured the attention of the internet – and from there saw her followers increase across the board.
She revealed over the weekend she reached the 1 million follower mark on TikTok.
"We just hit 1,000,000 followers on TikTok !!" she wrote on her Instagram Stories, via the New York Post. "I cannot express enough how grateful I am for each and every single one of you. I love you guys, thank you."
It had been less than 10 days since she appeared at the boxing match.
Thomas shared with her followers that she grew up in St. Louis, Missouri, and is working toward a degree in management and entrepreneurship. She also said she’s going to be finishing school one year early.
"Contrary to popular opinion or popular belief, I’m actually smart," she said. "People kind of get the image – pretty blonde, doesn’t have a brain. But I got a 33 on my ACT [exam] in high school and I’m finishing college early, so take it as you want."
Thomas certainly stole the spotlight and became one of the feel-good stories to come out of the entire event.
Thomas made her ring girl debut last month in Puerto Rico.
"I had a blast getting in the ring for my first ever boxing event (and first time in puerto rico)," she wrote in an Instagram post. "I thank God every day for allowing me to be a part of such amazing opportunities and experiences. truly feeling so blessed. see you next time for #round2."
Thomas was among the "MVP Main Event Models," along with Lexi Williams, Raphaela Milagres, Virginia Sanhouse and Delia Sylvain.
Jake Paul’s Most Valuable Promotions has heard the rumors and speculation that his fight with Mike Tyson was rigged since the Nov. 15 bout ended with the 58-year-old boxing legend losing by unanimous decision to the 27-year-old fighter.
Paul issued a lengthy statement on the matter through MVP, denying all accusations that the fight was manipulated.
"Rigging a professional boxing match is a federal crime in the United States of America," MVP wrote. "Paul vs. Tyson was a professional match sanctioned by the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulations (TDLR). Both fighters in good faith performed to the best of their abilities with the goal of winning the fight.
"There were absolutely no restrictions – contractual or otherwise – around either fighter. Each boxer was able to use his full arsenal to win the fight. Any agreement to the contrary would violate TDLR boxing rules."
MVP added that Paul and Tyson gave their all, saying it’s insulting to think otherwise. Also, the partnership with Netflix, the streaming service that broke records with the fight but experienced buffering issues, would’ve been jeopardized if the fight was rigged.
"It is further illogical and inane that MVP, in the debut of a hopeful long-term partnership with the world’s biggest streamer – an organization that made its first-ever foray into live professional sports with Paul vs. Tyson – would even so much as consider such a perverse violation of the rules of competition."
Co-founder of MVP, Nakisa Bidarian, recently spoke to Fox News Digital about the claims of rigging the fight.
"I don’t care what people have to say," Bidarian said. "They’re always going to have something to say. It is what it is.
"This was 100% real from beginning to end. It was so real that the guy had an ulcer, and we took a five-month break to give him time to heal the ulcer to be able to perform at his best level.
"If it was staged, why did we even postpone it? We could have just moved forward with the date: ‘Oh, you have an ulcer, you’re not going to hit each other. It’s going to be fine.’ What are people talking about?"
Bidarian added, "The only win there was if Mike Tyson knocked out Jake Paul, otherwise, the haters would have found a way to complain no matter what."
Tyson reportedly earned a whopping $20 million for the fight, though Paul got $40 million to step in the ring with the former heavyweight champion of the world.
After Tyson wrapped up an interview in his locker room, he turned around, and a zoomed-out camera showed that he was wearing chaps without covering his rear end.
Tyson was reported to make $20 million from the fight alone, but now, he can cash in even more because of the viral look.
Tyson apparently has two offers on the table, both for six figures, to show off his butt yet again.
Adult film site CamSoda is said to have offered $250,000 to Tyson to show off his rear end for an hour on a live stream.
"I understand this offer may be a far cry from what you just raked in from the fight, but let’s face it – maybe it’s time to hang up the glove. I think this offer is the perfect way to still get in front of people and perform in a different, less strenuous way," CamSoda vice president Daryn Parker said, via Hot New Hip Hop. "Plus, you don’t have to worry about anyone biting or going after your ears."
A Las Vegas strip club is also said to have offered Tyson $125,000 to show up in chaps and a banana hammock.
"We've been in the business of entertaining and pushing boundaries for years, and we think Mike Tyson’s playful side is exactly what our Cowboy Christmas Party needs," Larry Flynn's Huster general manager Brittany Rose told TMZ.
"We know he’s not afraid to have some fun, and we’re offering him the opportunity to do so with a hefty sum," Rose added, "Plus, we think it’ll be a night to remember for everyone in attendance."
Tyson lost to Paul by unanimous decision, and despite running out of gas early at 58 years old, it was not a decision he regretted one bit.
"I didn't prove nothing to anybody, only to myself," he said after the bout.
It was the seventh loss of Tyson's career opposite 50 victories – Paul improved to 11-1.
A sports icon came out of retirement last Friday, leading to decibels that are seldom touched at a sporting event, as 58-year-old Mike Tyson, in his first professional fight since 2005, battled Jake Paul in front of more than 70,000 fans at AT&T Stadium in Arlingon, Texas.
But by the middle of the fight, boo-birds rang out in the crowd, and with Paul winning by unanimous decision, accusations of a rigged fight ran all over social media.
If you know Jake Paul, none of that bothers him. He thrives off the hate and has embraced the role of the heel in boxing and life.
"He’s the ‘problem child,’ people want to boo him, and that’s the special sauce that he has," said Nakisa Bidarian, co-founder of Most Valuable Promotions, in a recent interview with Fox News Digital.
Bidarian and Paul co-founded MVP together three years ago, and their promotions have helped put women’s boxing on the map with two spectacles by Katie Taylor and Amanda Serrano, the second of which was the co-main event last week in Arlington.
Although Bidarian admitted that the 60 million households watching the fight and the largest gate outside of Las Vegas ever was probably more because of Tyson, he said Paul "played a massive role" in the historic event.
It was historic by just about every metric: attendance, viewers, gate, bets placed, social media discussion. But the overwhelming reaction to the fight was that it was a disappointment.
"I don’t care what people have to say. They’re always going to have something to say. It is what it is," Paul told Fox News Digital after the fight.
Added Bidarian in his interview, "The only win there was if Mike Tyson knocked out Jake Paul, otherwise, the haters would have found a way to complain no matter what."
But with it being a Paul spectacle, there is, once again, some speculation about the fight being rigged, fixed or staged.
Some fans have tried to point out instances in which the former heavyweight champ could have easily knocked out Paul with an uppercut; some have said that Tyson was biting on his gloves to keep himself from going wild in the ring. Some fans also believe that there was no way a boxer with just four years of experience could have possibly beaten the "Baddest Man on the Planet."
But all of those claims are BS, Bidarian said.
"In terms of this fight specifically, I will say the following: It was sanctioned by the athletic commission. Our partner was Netflix, who is the biggest media company in America and is a public entity. There was professional sports betting on the event," Bidarian said. "So, if you were to rig such competition, it is a federal crime. And myself, Jake Paul, Mike Tyson, executives from Netflix would all be going to jail, they would be risking their entire company, and we would be risking our entire lives to do that. It is preposterous that people even suggest that this was in any way anything other than a professional fight. … That was not the case in any Jake fight, let alone this one."
"This was 100% real from beginning to end," he added. "It was so real that the guy had an ulcer, and we took a five-month break to give him time to heal the ulcer to be able to perform at his best level. If it was staged, why did we even postpone it? We could have just moved forward with the date: ‘Oh, you have an ulcer, you’re not going to hit each other. It’s going to be fine.’ What are people talking about?"
Even some more high-profile fighters at the top of their game have called out Paul, including Ryan Garcia, lightweight champion Gervonta Davis, heavyweight champion Daniel Dubois and undisputed light heavyweight champion Artur Beterbiev. Bidarian said that "with the exception of one," Paul is interested in "all" of the inquiries.
"What’s next for Jake is whatever Jake wants it to be. He is the biggest face in all of boxing. … His goal is to be a world champion, so you’ll see us do things that give him those opportunities. And our goal is to think outside the box, do disruptive things and capture the imagination. We did that last Friday, and we’ll continue to do that."
It’s no secret that Paul is disliked, and many think this is all just a marketing play. It’s no secret that Paul is a marketing whiz, and some of his opponents have been selected rather wisely. But as much of a businessman as Paul may be, Bidarian said he sees him "first and foremost" as a boxer.
"That’s what he dedicates anywhere from 70 to 75% of his time," Bidarian said.
At the same time, Paul puts emphasis on "professional" in the term "professional boxer."
"He is the most professional boxer in professional boxing. He is a businessman, he conducts himself like a business, he shows up on time, he delivers every line you need to deliver, he does the promo when no one else wants to. …" Bidarian said. "He knows how to sell. [Dallas Cowboys owner] Jerry Jones said to Jake Paul, ‘Kid, you’re one of the greatest marketers in all of sports.’ And that’s true. He’s four years into this sport, and he’s co-headlining a record-setting event."
That’s why Bidarian has a rather strong message to those who don’t believe Paul is a serious boxer.
"Show me another athlete, including their amateur or high school career, who has four and a half years of experience that has achieved as much as he has achieved inside and outside of the ring," Bidarian said. "Even in that performance against Mike Tyson, who is 58, is very unique for someone who is four years into doing a sport. … Jake Paul has gone into the lions’ den and showed that he outboxed a much more skilled boxer in his heyday than Jake Paul, and that’s a lot more impressive than 99% of boxers do in their 10th, 12th, 15th fight."
"More importantly, Jake Paul has put on for this sport like no athlete has before," he continued. "He’s put on for the women in this sport, he’s put on for the youth in this sport, he’s put his own money into renovating gyms to give access to young boys and girls to learn about the sport of boxing. He’s partnered with USA Boxing to push amateur interest in the sport.
"He’s the greatest gift the sport has ever seen, in my opinion."
Sylvester Stallone says Jake Paul should be thanking Mike Tyson after the famous "Rocky" actor said the former heavyweight champion put on an "Oscar winning performance" during their fight last week.
In a post shared on Instagram this week, Stallone seemed to express the belief that the record-breaking fight between the social media star and one of boxing’s greatest was a scripted performance.
"Just to set my personal record straight. Business is business. SOMETIMES you have to do hard things and sacrifice for the sake of helping your FAMILY," Stallone wrote.
"I have known this unbelievable athlete since he’s 19 years old and what we saw was him giving one of the great Oscar winning performances of all time!!!! Please, Jake, be grateful, HE SPARED YOUR LIFE! Trust me.
"Keep punching Mike, there will never be a MAN like you, a GLADIATOR like you, and a SOUL like you! Keep punching champion of champions! I remember once I bumped into him and thought I was hit by [a] runaway BULLDOZER!!!"
In the days since the fight, fans pointed to certain slowed-down videos of the fight as proof Tyson held back on his punches, leading to claims the fight was rigged.
Paul, 27, defeated Tyson, 58, by unanimous decision. Tyson, the fan favorite, looked like he had a good chance in the first two rounds, but his age quickly began to show in the third round. Tyson finished all eight two-minute rounds. The fight was officially sanctioned by the state of Texas and counted toward both their records.
In a statement released days after the fight, Tyson revealed he had a near-death experience months before stepping back into the ring. He expressed his appreciation for what will likely be his last fight.
"This is one of those situations when you lost but still won. I’m grateful for last night. No regrets to get in ring one last time," he said.
"To have my children see me stand toe to toe and finish 8 rounds with a talented fighter half my age in front of a packed Dallas Cowboy stadium is an experience that no man has the right to ask for. Thank you."
Netflix’s streaming issues during the heavily anticipated fight between boxing legend Mike Tyson and Jake Paul were problematic enough that it raised concerns for the NFL ahead of the league’s upcoming games that will be streamed exclusively on the platform on Christmas Day, according to one report.
Buffering issues plagued fans tuning in to watch the historic matchup between one of the sport’s greats and its new up-and-coming boxer on Friday. Social media was flooded with complaints, and a lawsuit was even filed accusing the streaming platform of "breach of contract."
Netflix addressed the issues in a statement Monday.
"This unprecedented scale created many technical challenges, which the launch team tackled brilliantly by prioritizing stability of the stream for the majority of viewers," Netflix executive Elizabeth Stone said. "I'm sure many of you have seen the chatter in the press and on social media about the quality issues. We don't want to dismiss the poor experience of some members and know we have room for improvement but still consider this event a huge success."
While company executives might have viewed the event as a "huge success," the user experience was enough for the NFL to reach out with concern.
"The NFL did check in with Netflix following the Tyson-Paul fight to ask about the problems and assess the likelihood that they could repeat themselves on Christmas," ESPN reported Wednesday.
"Netflix said the fight reached 60 million homes, and apparently part of the explanation to the league was that the unprecedented scale for them of broadcasting a live sporting event contributed to some of the challenges they faced."
The report said the league walked away from those talks "reassured that Netflix had figured out what went wrong" and that it would not be an issue for the two games that day.
The Pittsburgh Steelers will host the Kansas City Chiefs at 1 p.m. on Christmas, followed by the Baltimore Ravens at the Houston Texans.
Despite the streaming issues, Friday’s bout did reach several milestones. According to Most Valuable Promotions, the fight had over 108 million live global viewers, making it the most-streamed sporting event ever. It was also the highest-grossing combat sports event in Texas at $18.1 million.
The star tight end said his stream froze at an inopportune time in the broadcast.
"God d-----, my s--- got froze literally on Mike Tyson’s cheeks," Kelce said.
"It felt like a parody going into it just from Mike slapping him in the weigh-ins or the pre-fight stuff and then just dude. When he did the interview, cause I’m pretty sure he did the interview with his son, that was his son that interviewed him, he kisses him on the cheek, which I’ve never seen that in an interview ever in my life.
"The guy that’s done with the interview right before his fight goes and kisses another man on the cheek says, ‘I love you’ and then walks off and the camera pans and slightly goes down so it gets this guy in nothing but a jock strap. I immediately sent that to f------everyone. That was the funniest s--- ever."
Jokes aside, amid the struggles Netflix customers experienced with the fight, Kelce hopes things are smoother come Christmas for the NFL.
"Hopefully, Netflix though… can figure out the streaming, especially if we are going to be watching all the Christmas games on Netflix," Kelce said.
The NFL has two games streaming on Netflix on Christmas this year. Kelce’s Chiefs against the Pittsburgh Steelers at 1 p.m. ET, followed by the Baltimore Ravens and the Houston Texans at 4:30 p.m. ET.
Netflix is reportedly paying the NFL $150 million to stream the two games. The games will air on traditional TV in the teams’ local markets.
"This unprecedented scale created many technical challenges, which the launch team tackled brilliantly by prioritizing stability of the stream for the majority of viewers," said Netflix executive Elizabeth Stone. "I'm sure many of you have seen the chatter in the press and on social media about the quality issues. We don't want to dismiss the poor experience of some members and know we have room for improvement but still consider this event a huge success."
Netflix also revealed Tuesday that Friday's live boxing event between Tyson and Paul drew 108 million viewers globally, making it the "most-streamed sporting event ever."
Netflix's live broadcast from AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, peaked at 65 million concurrent households in the U.S. An estimated 56% of all TV viewership in the country was tuned into the Tyson-Paul fight between 12 a.m. and 1 a.m. ET, the streaming service added.
The co-main event, a rematch between Katie Taylor and Amanda Serrano, drew 74 million live viewers globally to become the most-watched professional women’s sports event in U.S. history.
Issues started to occur during the Mario Barrios-Abel Ramos bout and only increased ahead of the Serrano-Taylor fight.
Detector reported that at least 85,000 viewers reported problems. One particular moment ignited fierce backlash and mockery on social media for Netflix when boxing legend Evander Holyfield and Dallas Cowboys team owner Jerry Jones had their mics cut out while they were talking about the fights. Jones was touting the NFL’s partnership with Netflix.
Howard Stern warned Netflix on his radio show that it had better get it right.
"You know, I don’t how this stuff works, but you gotta make sure it works. … But if you f--- up people’s football, there’s gonna be hell to pay," Stern said.
Netflix will stream an NFL debut doubleheader on Christmas with games between the Kansas City Chiefs and Pittsburgh Steelers and the Baltimore Ravens and Houston Texans.
