Was it arranged?

Was the win in Southpaw arranged? I'm asking this based on the fact that Hope himself mentions Jordan Mains 'paying' a decision win over Night Train early in the movie. Also, it's a close fight for most of the bout and taking in account the split decision for 115-113, 115-114, 116-112, plus the point they took from Escobar.

Is there any chance Mains had paid the win?

plot-explanation southpaw

Best Answer

It's left intentionally vague. Both Billy in-universe, and others out of universe seem to think the fight was fixed, but nothing is confirmed in the film. So much that actual boxers have chimed in:

"[P]romoters fixing fights. Has this type of behavior reared its head in the history of our sport? At times, unfortunately, yes. Is it common? Absolutely not,” said de [Oscar de la Hoya].

Billy of course turns a blind eye to it because he has more important things to deal with:

Billy's need for income, so that he can convince a judge that he's fit for fatherhood, is what sends him to the gym run by Tick Wills, who trained the only boxer ever to beat him. (Billy still got the decision, but he suspects that was because someone in his camp paid a bribe. "The fight game, you know," he shrugs.)

Obviously, Billy isn't in on the fix, but he isn't a fool either. He won't take a dive but he won't say anything if someone else does.