Jake Paul's manager SHUTS DOWN match fixing rumours with pointed barb at Dana White - and reveals drugs testing protocols for £140m Anthony Joshua clash

Most Valuable Promotions, the organisers behind the Jake Paul vs Anthony Joshua mega-fight, have denied accusations of match-fixing and manipulated outcomes, after a wave of online allegations claimed that Paul's recent bouts - including his points win over a 59-year-old Mike Tyson - were rigged or contained secret contractual clauses.

With regulators and boxing insiders warning the December 19 clash with AJ could be unsafe or even a threat to the sport's credibility, MVP co-founder and CEO Nakisa Bidarian has now issued a blunt rebuttal, insisting the operation is fully regulated and transparent.

Bidarian says claims of scripted outcomes are not only false but 'federal crimes', stressing that Paul's fights are subject to USADA testing, state oversight and public rule-sets... and that any suggestion of fixing would see authorities 'on our a** in two seconds'.

It is under that cloud of suspicion, criticism and regulatory scrutiny that the Miami fight now arrives - with the BBBofC refusing to sanction it in Britain and safety concerns mounting over whether Paul possesses the ability, experience and resilience to withstand a two-time heavyweight champion like Joshua.

And with conspiracy theories swirling around the December showdown, Bidarian began by addressing the allegations head-on.

'In our 13 fights with Jake, there has never been a single stipulation in any contract that hasn't been public, right? Number one,' he told the Mail. 

'Number two, the only time there was odd stipulations vs professional boxing was against Mike Tyson because it was two-minute rounds - which for men is usually three - and it was 14-ounce gloves. Both things were public, both things were part of the approval process, and it was still viewed as a professional fight by the Texas Athletic Commission.

'So, the only criticism I will ever accept around that fight not being real is if you say that by the standardised, most commonly used definition of professional boxing, that fight did not follow that. The suggestion that Mike Tyson got paid more if it went longer, or Mike Tyson - the one I see most - was pulling his punches, is beyond mind-blowing, because that is a federal crime.

Bidarian then drew a pointed comparison with the UFC's ongoing integrity issues under Dana White.

'You can rest assured, unlike Dana White in the UFC who are going through their… you know, match-fixing issues, we do not. If anybody thought that Jake Paul was actually fixing his fights the FBI would be on our a** in two seconds, because people don't want him to succeed. And if anyone thinks we would do a deal with the biggest media company in the world [Netflix] and put in stipulations that were illegal, they're just not very bright.'

He added he was equally baffled by claims that Paul's fight with Gervonta Davis was cancelled due to poor ticket sales despite the 31-year-old being arrested for allegedly assaulting his ex-girlfriend outside her home on Father's Day.

'Just like the people who say, 'Oh, they cancelled the Tank fight because ticket sales weren't going well.' They're just not very bright, unfortunately.'

Having dismantled the match-fixing rumours, Bidarian then turned to another growing online theory: that Paul's ability to cut to 195lbs for Gervonta Davis, then balloon up to 245lbs for Joshua in just six weeks, is suspicious.

He insists both fighters will be fully monitored in the build-up to their Miami clash.

'We are enrolled in the highest level of USADA for this fight, just like Jake was with Tank,' he said. 'So Jake just continues in that programme, and Joshua enters that programme immediately. 

'Jake was tested eight times by USADA during the past - whatever it was - seven weeks since we started the programme with USADA for Jake versus Tank. That's just going to continue. Randomised testing, frequent testing. And, you know, we're four weeks out, so it's going to be pretty comprehensive.'

This, he says, eliminates any possibility of performance manipulation.

From doping speculation to fighter safety, Bidarian also rejected the argument that the fight is dangerous - despite Joshua having knocked out the likes of Wladimir Klitschko, Alexander Povetkin, Robert Helenius and even folding former UFC champion Francis Ngannou inside two rounds.

'I think every boxing match is dangerous,' he said. 'I will say this is a lot less dangerous than many fights that are on boxing cards as promoters are building boxers' careers against journeymen, who are there to get knocked out.

'I would say it's less dangerous than who Anthony Joshua was probably going to fight - in Eddie Hearn's words - to 'have a run out' against just some random heavyweight.

'Jake Paul's not there to lose. Jake Paul is much faster, much quicker, and I would say much more of a thoughtful athlete than a lot of boxers who are journeymen there to be beaten.'

Bidarian also dismissed the idea that Joshua simply being the bigger man makes the matchup irresponsible.

'Francis Ngannou, an amazing MMA athlete, but novice boxer,' he continued. 'Jake Paul has shown what happens to MMA athletes when they come into boxing and box him. 

'Tyron Woodley - love him - flatlined by Jake Paul, no different than AJ did to Francis. Jake is not Francis. The only advantage Francis had over Jake Paul was he was 272 pounds.

'But guess what? Joshua lost to a 221-pound Usyk twice in a row. I'm not saying Jake Paul is Usyk, but I'm saying size isn't the determining factor of whether this fight should happen.'

Bidarian then explained the 245lb heavyweight limit.

'Look, AJ's fought as low as 230lbs at the start of his career,' he said. 'AJ fought at 240 and below 245 against Usyk at least once. For us, it wasn't about making him cut weight. It was more that Jake was cutting weight to fight Tank.

'Jake is getting back to heavyweight level. When he fought Mike Tyson he was 228 pounds, so heavier than Usyk when Usyk fought AJ both times. It means Jake would be around 220 to 225 for AJ. We didn't want AJ walking in at 265 or 270.

'AJ said this is where he feels comfortable. We said, cool. It wasn't a hard negotiation. It wasn't like, we must drain your weight to a level you've never been before. There's no rehydration clause. Just a weigh-in the day before at 245 pounds.'

Bidarian went on to argue that Joshua - a two-time heavyweight champion - is actually a more winnable fight for Paul than Gervonta 'Tank' Davis would have been.

'I've said this a few times today: Anthony Joshua is a more winnable fight for Jake Paul from my perspective than Tank Davis - albeit more dangerous in terms of getting knocked out,' he said. 'Tank was fast, precise, skilled, and had knockout power. But could a 165-pound man on the night knock out a 200-pound man on the night? I don't know.

'Can Joshua knock out Jake Paul? Absolutely. But can Jake Paul put on a better performance, at a higher probability rate, against Joshua than Tank? I believe so.'

Finally, Bidarian insisted Paul's long-term future does not hinge on beating Joshua.

'I think this statement is the perfect statement - erase all doubt and become undeniable for a world title,' he said. 'But become undeniable on his terms.

'We still have a lot of fights out there that he wants to do irrespective of the outcome. One is Tommy Fury. That is a fight he has to do for his own mind and peace.

'Ryan Garcia was another person we were trying to fight. Terence Crawford is another name he still wants. Canelo. UK names.

'There are lots of opportunities for Jake. People said Jake's career was over after losing to Tommy. Four months later we did a bigger fight in the USA.

'So I'm confident, irrespective of the outcome, Jake Paul has a long career ahead.'