Jake Paul’s has savaged Hasim Rahman Jr. after the fight was called off at the last minute.
The YouTube star was due to fight at Madison Square Garden next weekend but a statement released on Saturday night slammed Rahman for apparently moving the goalposts, The Sun reported.
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A statement from Most Valuable Promotions said Rahman’s team tried to change the fight weight from 200lbs to 215lbs.
And it read: “The boxing community must hold Hasim Rahman Jr liable for his lack of professionalism.”
Rahman and his team are said to have offered assurances that he was on track to make 200lbs at the weigh-in on Friday.
Paul claimed Rahman’s team went “as far as to provide a letter signed by a recognized nutritionist that his weight cut was progressing without issue”.
But in the last 48 hours, Rahman had lost less than one pound and the New York State Athletic Commission said it wouldn’t sanction the fight for less than 205 pounds.
Paul’s team claim they were prepared to raise the weight to 200 pounds, but say Rahman indicated he would come in at 215 pounds.
“Upon receiving this new contract Saturday morning, Rahman’s camp indicated for the very first time that he planned to weigh 215lbs. at the official weigh-in and would not agree to
weigh-in at 205 pounds and reporting Most Valuable Promotions that they are pulling out of the fight unless the fight was agreed to at 215 pounds,” the statement read.
“MVP and Jake Paul will not reward someone that has conducted themselves in such a deceiving and calculated manner.
“Therefore, MVP is left with no choice but to cancel the August 6th event. This forced outcome impacts Jake Paul, Amanda Serrano and every other fighter on this card who have trained tirelessly over the past few months for this event.
“The boxing community must hold Hasim Rahman Jr. liable for his lack of professionalism.”
And drastic action was taken with the fight axed and refunds offered to ticket holders and PPV buyers.
Paul was due to fight British reality star and boxer Tommy Fury.
But Fury ran into visa issues and couldn’t fight the YouTuber at Madison Square Garden.
Paul had been sparring with former world champ Chad Dawson in build up to the fight.
He was set for one of the toughest fights of his young boxing career.
This was due to be the sixth professional fight for the younger Paul brother and he is undefeated so far.
This story first appeared in The Sun and was republished with permission.
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