NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles!
Talk-show host Piers Morgan appeared to backtrack his sentiments on what he said were Jake Paul’s “staged” fights after Paul and his team threatened legal action.
“I posted a few weeks ago that Jake Paul’s boxing career has been ‘boring staged bulls—.’ What I meant is that his fights have been predominantly against older, past-their-prime opponents, which may be lucrative for both sides, and may have entertainment value, but don’t reveal how he stacks up against currently ranked boxers and therefore are not a good look for the sport,” Morgan posted to X.
“I did not intend to suggest that the outcome was predetermined and certainly didn’t mean to suggest anything illegal. But if reports are correct that Jake is now in negotiations to fight Anthony Joshua, that would obviously be a seriously credible bout against one of the best heavyweights in the world. Jake is welcome to come on Uncensored to discuss this, and verbally slug it out with me, anytime.”
CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COM
Piers Morgan “clarified” his statements on Jake Paul’s fights being “staged.” (Getty/IMAGN)
Morgan shared TMZ’s post that said he “retract[ed]” his initial sentiment, but Morgan replied, “Clarifies, not retracts.” He also deleted the post.
That did not stop Paul from getting a final laugh, though.
“Omg the first peasant that I sue gets on his knees and apologizes – who am I suing next for lying on my name?” Paul wrote in a post on his Instagram Stories on Saturday.
Morgan wrote that he was not sued.
“If anyone says my fights are staged you will be sued and secondly you’re a jealous a– peasant who cannot even believe how good I am at this sport and you should go to church to fix your insecurities,” Paul continued. “I pray for you because I have so much love humanity and that includes the people who are against me – genuinely I pray for you and I want the world to be in a better place. You people are filled with a disease and I’m here to help you cure it.”
Jake Paul is announced as the winner against Mike Tyson at AT&T Stadium on Nov. 15, 2024, in Arlington, Texas. (Al Bello/Getty Images for Netflix © 2024)
Last month, Paul posted to social media that he “asked my team to vigorously go after anyone who makes up lies about my boxing career.” He hired attorney Alex Spiro, who once represented Elon Musk and Aaron Hernandez, earlier this month.
MVP co-founder Nakisa Bidarian said on social media that Morgan can “count on” Bidarian suing him after the talk show host said the fights are “staged.”
“It’s one thing to say, ‘You’re not a good boxer.’ It’s another thing to say, ‘You fight older guys.’ But when you say the fights are staged, aka rigged, then you’re defaming us,” Bidarian told Fox News Digital in a recent interview. “You are destructing value for his brand, for MVP’s brand and what we stand for, which is integrity of sport.
“You’re actually attacking the California State Athletic Commission who oversaw this event (Paul vs. Julio Cesar Chavez Jr.). Then you’re saying we’re risking going to federal prison for putting on staged events. So enough is enough, we’ve been patient for a long time, and now it’s time people either retract and admit they were wrong or go through with legal action.”
Jake Paul reacts after knocking out Andre August at the Caribe Royale Orlando on Dec. 15 2023, in Florida. (Alex Menendez/Getty Images)
CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP
“Every single Jake Paul fight has been sanctioned by an athletic commission,” Bidarian added. “Every single Jake Paul fight has had sports betting available on it. Every single Jake Paul fight has been with a large media partner. For someone to say that any of Jake’s fights are anything other than professionally sanctioned fights with clear rules, is ridiculous.”
The calls about rigged fights grew loud after Paul fought Mike Tyson. At the time, Bidarian told Fox News Digital that it was all legitimate.
Follow Fox News Digital’s sports coverage on X, and subscribe to the Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter.
Discussion about this post