Jake Paul is in discussions to bring a boxing spectacle to Australia, with his promoters expressing confidence that the local market can sustain a major event despite his brutal December defeat. Most Valuable Promotions co-founder Nakisa Bidarian confirmed that his team has already approached Australian broadcasters about a Paul event aimed at US prime-time audiences, with 2027 under consideration.
'So we've already asked our friends at Fox Sports to have a think about everything, then come back to us on how we make it happen,' Bidarian said. 'Because I've made it very clear we'd love to be there. And on a Sunday, going into US prime time … that would be ideal.' A Sunday card staged in Australia would land in Saturday-night American television, a coveted slot for combat sports scheduling.
Team Paul's confidence is drawn in part from a decade-old piece of Melbourne history. In 2015, Ronda Rousey drew more than 50,000 fans to her fight with Holly Holm, setting a UFC live gate record at the time despite her shock knockout loss. Bidarian said the figures showed Australia's potential. 'Because Australia's sports market is the best in the world, pound for pound,' he said. 'You look at Ronda versus Holly Holm; two ladies who had nothing to do with Australia and still hold the record for most tickets sold by women to a combat sports event.'
The reference is notable given MVP's recent focus on women's combat sport. The promotion this month staged Rousey's 17-second win over Gina Carano, which became the most-watched MMA fight in American history. That strategy has a strong Australian flavour, with MVP's roster featuring Cherneka Johnson, Ebonie Bridges and Queenslander Desley Robinson, providing local talent for any future Australian event.
Any Australian event would come at a pivotal stage in Paul's career, with the American holding a 12-2 record after suffering the first stoppage loss of his career against Anthony Joshua last December. Paul underwent surgery for a broken jaw, had titanium plates fitted and lost teeth in the aftermath, and was stripped of his WBA cruiserweight ranking in January. In a May interview he said his boxing career was 'most definitely' in doubt, before later indicating he expected to be cleared to spar within a couple of months.
