Jake Paul's promotion company signs 'landmark' deal with ESPN

Most Valuable Promotions, co-founded by Jake Paul, has signed a "landmark" multi-year deal with ESPN to broadcast fights featuring women boxers promoted by MVP, the promotion company announced March 6.

The deal will run through 2028, according to MVP, which is launching MVPW – "a new global platform for women’s boxing," the company said in a press release issued Friday.

The first MVPW event, which is scheduled for April 5 and will feature a bout between Caroline Dubois and Terri Harper, will stream live on the ESPN app, according to MVP.

The first event to be carried by ESPN’s traditional cable channel is set for April 17, and the card will be headlined by a fight between Alycia Baumgardner vs. Bo Mi Re Shin for the unified super featherweight world championship. Shadasia Green will defend her unified world titles against Lani Daniels in co-main event.

MVP already has elevated women’s boxing by securing fights between Amanda Serrano and Katie Taylor that were livestreamed by Netflix in 2024 and 2025 and an all-women’s boxing card in July at Madison Square Garden

The company has 38 female boxers listed on its website featuring the likes of Serrano, Alycia Baumgardner and Holly Holm.

Paul did not attend the press conference, leaving Nakisa Bidarian, co-founder of MVP, to address the business plan. Bidarian was an executive with UFC from 2011 through 2016 when women’s MMA was introduced and Ronda Rousey became a star.  

"And when we set up MVP and we said to our network partner, 'We want to put women's boxing on as the co-main event,'" Bidarian said. "Everyone paused, took a step back and didn't seem to understand why.

"And honestly, a lot of it was that conviction of what I saw with Ronda Rousey and the belief that we could find an Amanda Serrano that could show the world what this sport is all about."