Jake Paul has been officially assigned a court date of October 16 for Eddie Hearn’s $100 million defamation lawsuit, as a New York judge has denied his motion to dismiss the case. The 27-year-old YouTube star-turned-boxer is facing significant legal challenges just weeks before his highly anticipated fight against boxing legend Mike Tyson, scheduled for November 15.

The lawsuit was initiated by promoter Eddie Hearn and Matchroom Boxing in September 2022, stemming from comments Paul made about a fight judge. Hearn accused Paul of claiming he paid judge Glen Feldman to score fights in favor of Katie Taylor against Amanda Serrano and during Anthony Joshua’s rematch with Oleksandr Usyk.

Paul, who co-founded Most Valuable Promotions (MVP) with Nakis Bidarian in 2021, is now set to face Hearn in court after his attempt to dismiss the defamation allegations was rejected. The lawsuit is poised to move forward, with the court date just a couple of weeks away.

Hearn is pursuing damages exceeding $100 million (£75 million), a figure that underscores the seriousness of the claims against Paul.

Meanwhile, as the legal battle unfolds, Paul is also preparing for his clash with Tyson, which has sparked intrigue due to the 31-year age difference between the fighters. Paul, who boasts a professional record of 10 wins and 1 loss, warned Tyson that he should not underestimate him, stating, “I could definitely see him trying to go for an early KO, but he’ll find out very quickly that I also have a ton of power.”

In a promotional video, Tyson’s team has made it clear that the former world champion is training to unleash a barrage of punches, claiming, “If the fight were today, Jake Paul would be done.” With both a court battle and a high-stakes boxing match on the horizon, Paul’s upcoming weeks are sure to be filled with tension and excitement