Claressa Shields claims she will sue Jake Paul and MVP after they banned her from their boxing events.
Recently MVP and Paul started working with ESPN in America to bring some boxing back to ESPN.
Of course, many others can do this as well shortly other than just Paul and MVP as boxing continues to return to the masses.
An incident at an event recently saw a possible altercation between Claressa Shields who was in attendance with another female boxer.
Shields said she is going to sue Paul and MVP for defamation of character, but’s look at the legalities here:
Venue/Property rights
- Private venues can refuse entry to anyone for non-discriminatory reasons
- No one has a legal right to attend a private event
- First Amendment only limits the government, not private promoters
- Banning her from MVP cards isn’t state action, so no free-speech claim
Defamation standards in the U.S.
- Shields is a public figure and must prove “actual malice” under NYT v. Sullivan
- She’d needs to show also MVP knew a statement was false or acted recklessly
- “We don’t want you here” is sometimes but not always limited to opinion, not a provable false fact
- Truth is a full defense if MVP can point to any disruption
- Defamation requires real harm to reputation, not just being denied entry to an event. Proving this will need a lot time.
Event-holder specific defenses
- Tickets and venue rules let promoters revoke entry anytime
- “Boxer” isn’t a protected class under the Civil Rights Act
- Refusing entry doesn’t stop her from making money elsewhere or going to other events, including but not limited to other boxing and or not limited to other sporting events, sometimes known as ‘live sports events’ in America or outside of US jurisdiction.
- Pertinent to professional boxing more than any sport given it is more international in than most.
- Many states have anti-SLAPP laws that penalize weak lawsuits
- MVP could force her to prove her case early or pay their fees
All in all, it looks like a tough up hill challenge for Claressa Shields now.
