Oscar De La Hoya Accuses Jake Paul of Staging Controversial Fight with Mike Tyson

Oscar De La Hoya isn’t holding back when it comes to the Jake Paul vs. Mike Tyson boxing match from last week. The former world champion and promoter has openly questioned the legitimacy of Paul’s unanimous decision victory over the boxing icon, suggesting the fight may have been staged.

Speaking on Instagram, De La Hoya shared his doubts, saying, “Everyone is talking about how staged this fight was, and I do believe it was scripted. I believe that Tyson was certainly held back.” He pointed out that the match was officially sanctioned and would affect both fighters’ records, adding, “Jake Paul paid to get the W on his record, for what? For your own personal satisfaction?”

De La Hoya went on to criticize Paul’s approach to boxing, questioning his choice of opponents. “If you want to be a real fighter like you say you want to be, what are you doing? Who’s next? Joe Biden? You have to fight real fighters,” he said.

Despite the controversy, the fight’s numbers were undeniably massive. With an estimated 70,000 fans in attendance at AT&T Stadium and over 108 million live global viewers on Netflix, the event was a commercial success. De La Hoya, however, highlighted what he saw as the night’s true standout moment: the bout between Amanda Serrano and Katie Taylor. “The huge winners were Amanda Serrano and Katie Taylor, who put on an incredible real fight that introduced them to new fans around the world,” he said.

For Tyson, 58, this marked his first professional bout since his 2005 loss to Kevin McBride, while Paul, 27, moved to 11-1 in his career after bouncing back from a loss to Tommy Fury in 2023.

The Jake Paul vs. Mike Tyson fight may have raked in massive numbers, but the questions about its legitimacy aren’t going anywhere—especially with boxing legend Oscar De La Hoya calling it out. Was this match the real deal or just a staged spectacle for the cameras? One thing’s for sure, the debate has everyone talking.