A red flag
Boxing matches involving social media influencers have exploded in popularity over the past few years, with Jake Paul leading the charge. His most recent bout saw him defeat Andre August with a first-round knockout on December 15. A fight on the undercard, though, is now facing scrutiny over allegations of potential match-fixing.
flagged the super welterweight showdown between Livan Navarro and the unbeaten Yoenis Tellez
Sports betting monitoring firm US Integrity has flagged the super welterweight showdown between Livan Navarro and the unbeaten Yoenis Tellez. It nearly went the distance despite a third-round knockdown by Tellez. The favorite ultimately finished Navarro in the tenth round, almost sending him out of the ring with the knockout punch.
Investigating the matter
A sportsbook operator reportedly informed US Integrity about suspicious betting activity surrounding the fight. A significant flurry of six-figure wagers was placed on the fight lasting longer than 5.5 rounds. It was the first bout of Tellez’s professional career that he had to go past the sixth round.
allegedly a member of the corner team of one of the fighters
One of these bettors was allegedly a member of the corner team of one of the fighters. The authorities are now investigating the matter to see if anything nefarious took place, but are not looking at Jake Paul or any of his associates.
Boxing has long been a sport mired in controversy. Links to shady individuals, controversial hometown judge decisions, and suspect knockouts have plagued the sport over the years. Interest in boxing has been on the rise due to the interest from influencers like Jake and Logan Paul, despite unsubstantiated allegations that some of Jake Paul’s opponents have taken a fall during fights.
An important service
Wagering monitoring companies like US Integrity are very important for picking up on any suspicious trends or betting activity that might indicate match-fixing. It has triggered numerous investigations over the past year.
Recent examples include highlighting Iowa State football players who placed bets on their own team and are now facing criminal charges, as well as the University of Alabama baseball head coach who got fired after he passed inside information to someone who then tried to place a six-figure bet.
