These are strange times for Jake Paul.
This week he walked onto a stage at Madison Square Garden in front of a sizable crowd and elicited a boo. Not a chorus of boos, mind you, but a mere smattering at most.
The polarizing boxer, suddenly devoid of bombast, stood calmly on the stage for a special event.
It was the end of a press conference promoting an all-women’s boxing card on Friday, July 11 at Madison Square Garden in New York. Eight world champions are among 16 boxers set to fight during an event for which Paul, 28, is a key architect.
While he’s been sparring with fans and profanely promoting his own fights, he more tactfully has elevated women’s boxing through Most Valuable Promotions, a company he co-founded in 2021 with business partner Nakisa Bidarian.
He also has used his relationship with Netflix, which livestreamed Paul’s fight against Mike Tyson in November, to provide their global platform for the all-women’s boxing card.
“I 100% believe that Jake Paul and Nakisa at MVP Promotions (are) doing a fabulous job with women’s boxing,’’ said Christy Martin, the Hall of Fame boxer. “Even though promoters have done all-women’s cards before, no one’s ever done an all-women’s card at this level.’’
While expanding MVP’s talented roster of women’s boxers to 21, Paul and Bidarian are delivering what could be the greatest all-women’s card in boxing history.
Kathy Duva, a promoter who has belittled Paul as a boxer, praised his work as a promoter championing women’s boxers.
“I think it is fantastic,’’ she said. “I sincerely hope his card is a big success.’’
Why women’s boxing?
Paul has said women’s boxing was a priority when he and Bidarian founded MVP in 2021. But the roots trace back to 2011, said Bidarian, who was the Chief Financial Officer at UFC from 2011 to 2016.
In 2011, the UFC ushered in women’s MMA behind eventual star Ronda Rousey.
“And we brought in the women and gave them the same opportunity, the same platform, the same rules as the men,’’ he said.
Women’s MMA grew into a staple for UFC.
“I knew that we had an opportunity with women’s boxing,’’ Bidarian said. “If we found a trailblazer.’’
That trailblazing women’s boxer turned out to be Amanda Serrano, who, before she signed with MVP, fought in title fights for as little as $4,000. Now she has since stated that she’s a multimillionaire.
Her third fight against Katie Taylor will be the main event Friday and earn the boxers upwards of $2 million apiece, according Bidarian, who recalled MVP’s pitch to Serrano and her manager. He said he promised to make Serrano $1 million in her first year with MVP.
“And Amanda always says I lied to her because it took seven months,’’ Bidarian said.
Matt Taffet, manager for boxing star Claressa Shields, lauded Paul.
“Jake has done a great job on all of it,’’ said Taffet, who was a key player in boxing as a longtime executive at HBO Sports. “He got Amanda big fights and a big profile. I mean, Amanda spent a career winning world titles in seven divisions, but she didn’t become one of the super women of women’s boxing until she got near Jake.’’
Serrano’s success helped MVP lure other champions, who have played an integral role in what’s next up: the all-women’s card.
‘This is your moment,” Paul recently said of the women’s boxers. ‘This is your time to show the world what we are all about.”
Taylor vs. Serrano: What’s at stake
MVP is billing this boxing card as the greatest in women’s history, but it’d be wise to withhold judgment until the boxers get into the ring.
That said, the potential is enormous, with four championship fights, a robust purse and Netflix’s global reach.
Bidarian declined to provide details on how much the 16 boxers will make. However, he did say Serrano and Katie Taylor, set to fight for the third time, each will make more than the men’s and women’s runners-up at Wimbledon.
That’s $2,081,868 apiece.
Before Serrano and Taylor fought as the co-main on the Paul-Tyson card, Taylor said she would earn $6.1 million, about triple the payout to the runners-up at Wimbledon.
“I’m saying they’re making more than that,’’ Bidarian countered.
And on Wednesday, he announced a $250,000 performance will be awarded to the best fighter or fight of the night. To be determined by Paul, Bidarian and Laila Ali. Yes, Muhammad Ali’s daughter, who once ascended to the top of women’s boxing, is on board.
“Right now, for the most part, Jake Paul already is the dominant promoter in women’s boxing by far,’’ said promoter Lou DiBella, who had Serrano under contract before she signed with MVP. “And he’s put his money where his mouth is.
“Now, let’s see if Jake can make changes by giving these other girls enough exposure that they can start selling (fight cards). We’re going to find out.’’