Paul vs. Mayweather anti-piracy warning
June 3, 2021
By Colin Mann
In advance of YouTube star Logan Paul’s exhibition fight against Floyd Mayweather on June 6th, Kieron Sharp, CEO of UK intellectual property protection body FACT, has warned of the dangers fans when illegally streaming the bout, only available in the UK on Sky Box Office pay-per-view. With a large amount of audience not being able to watch the fight in pubs and bars, it’s likely that many supporters may be tempted to turn to illegal streaming to watch from home.
“The hotly anticipated exhibition fight in Miami this Sunday between newcomer Jake Paul and veteran Floyd Mayweather – one of the most successful and decorated fighters in boxing history – should certainly make for interesting viewing,” notes Sharp. “Many of Paul’s estimated 20 million fans will be engaging with the sport for the first time and may be tempted to turn to illegal streaming to watch the fight.”
“Fans may not be aware of the dangers of viewing boxing illegally, but they must understand the risks. Three out of five people in the UK (62 per cent) are unaware that illegal streaming can lead to fraud, identity theft and malware – as well as links to criminal gangs. Cybersecurity firm Webroot recently found that 92 per cent of illegal streaming sites used for sports piracy over a weekend in April were promoting a range of bitcoin scams, mobile apps scams and malware threats – so it’s clear how prominent the threat is to unsuspecting users.”
“Consumers should know that piracy originates from sophisticated, unlawful enterprises that put money directly in the pockets of criminal gangs. This is not a grey area – viewing the bout through the official providers is the only way to watch it legally and avoid putting yourself and your family at risk,” he advises.