One of the earliest recorded women’s boxing matches dates back to 1722, when Elizabeth Wilkinson faced Hannah Hyfield in London. This moment marked the beginning of a long, often overlooked history of female participation in the sport. Despite this legacy, women’s boxing struggled for prominence for centuries, with female fighters receiving far less recognition and compensation than their male counterparts. However, Jake Paul claims he’s helping change that narrative.
“My professional debut, Amanda was on the undercard, and I hadn’t heard of her or anything,” Paul said in the Countdown: Taylor vs. Serrano on Netflix. The two women, having met twice already inside the squared circle, are geared for a third encounter on 11th July at Madison Square Garden, New York, co-promoted by Paul’s MVP and Matchroom Boxing. “She was fighting off of TV, which was insane, and that’s when we kind of really hit it off.” Before this moment in time, Paul claims Serrano was making pennies to dollars.
“Hearing her story and what she’s been through and how they’re fighting in the back alley gyms, making $1,000 here, $2,000 here… I just couldn’t believe it,” Paul continued. To Paul’s credit, he did help Amanda Serrano earn the kind of money she hadn’t seen before signing with his promotion in September 2021. Reports suggest she made $350,000 against Daniela Romina Bermúdez, $400,000 against Yamileth Mercado, and a career-high $1 million for her blockbuster bout against Katie Taylor in 2022, with an even larger purse in the subsequent rematch.
Paul’s business partner and co-founder of MVP, Nikisha Bidarian, chimed in, claiming their main goal from the beginning was to put women’s boxing on the map. “I knew that if you had a trailblazer, which we believed Amanda Serrano was, it would make a real impact,” Bidarian said. He further elaborated, revealing Paul’s offer to Serrano, which included a $5 million payout. “Jake laid out stuff like $5 million for a fight, being in movies, being recognized for everything that you do. She thought we were crazy,” Bidarian said.
Serrano, for her part, appears to have confirmed the claim.
Amanda Serrano remembers laughing at Jake Paul
In 2025 alone, Paul signed several women to MVP, including Alycia Baumgardner, Ramla Ali, Savannah Marshall, Chantelle Cameron, and Holly Holm. The move proved what the company and Paul’s vision were. However, when Serrano was the only queen of the stable, she didn’t quite believe what Paul had envisioned for her.
NEW YORK, NY – FEBRUARY 04: Amanda Serrano reacts after defeating Erika Cruz to become the undisputed featherweight champion of the world on February 4, 2023 at the Hulu Theater at Madison Square Garden in New York. Photo by Rich Graessle/Icon Sportswire BOXING: FEB 04 Serrano vs Cruz Icon23020413337
She recollected a conversation Bidarian had with her and her trainer/manager Jordan Maldonado. “Nakisa had told Jordan and [me]. He said, ‘Listen, my goal is to make you a millionaire within a year,’” Serrano said. “Jordan [and I] looked and laughed.” Despite her skepticism, Paul and his company did make that a reality.
Perhaps that’s the reason behind Serrano’s fierce loyalty towards Jake Paul, whom she often defends publicly. Serrano has titles in seven weight classes, so there’s no denying her greatness. And Paul’s role in her career’s growth is undeniable, but do you think Jake Paul had a positive impact on women’s boxing?
The post Jake Paul’s $5 Million Revelation Exposes True Impact on Women’s Boxing appeared first on EssentiallySports.
