Jake Paul’s Most Valuable Promotions (MVP) unexpectedly cut 21-year-old rising lightweight boxing star Ashton Sylve from their roster, prompting him to write ‘Free agent’ on X. The sudden move stunned fans and sparked speculation that MVP released ‘H20’ because of his only professional loss to Lucas Bahdi one year ago. In that fight, held in Florida, Bahdi, the underdog, not only defeated Sylve but also handed him his first career loss with a Knockout of the Year contender, ending the American’s undefeated 11-fight streak.

Following that shocking defeat, Ashton Sylve remained inactive in the ring. He was supposed to make his return this April against Nicolas Polanco. However, H2O’s team issued a press release ahead of the fight stating he had been “unwell all week,” and he ultimately pulled out. He hasn’t competed since—until now, when MVP made the surprise decision to cut ties with him, a move that caught many off guard.

Jake Paul’s team addresses Ashton Sylve’s split from MVP

Reacting to the situation, Ashton Sylve took to X with a pointed message toward Jake Paul and his team, writing, “This doesn’t sit right.” In a longer statement, the 21-year-old argued that he had played a significant role in helping MVP grow, especially during a time when many fans perceived it merely as an “influencer boxing” brand. He backed his claim by pointing to his willingness to step up on short notice against Lucas Bahdi after his original opponent, Floyd Schofield.

Sylve also claimed that before the release, there had been no communication from MVP regarding the decision to let him go. “I was the first male boxer signed to MVP. I joined when it was an advisory brand, not a licensed promotional company. We built something real together from the ground up,” he added in another tweet on X. Soon after the string of posts from Sylve, MVP responded to the allegations with an official statement on Instagram. The promotion began by thanking Ashton Sylve, saying they had built the brand together in its “early stage.” However, they went on to clarify the nature of their relationship: “To clarify, Ashton was never signed under any promotional agreement with MVP, nor was there ever an exclusive arrangement in place. Our previous relationship was advisory in nature, and Ashton, on multiple occasions, pursued opportunities with other boxing organizations.”

The statement ended by confirming that Ashton ‘H2O’ Sylve and MVP are now heading in different directions, parting ways for good. “He is a gifted young athlete with a bright future ahead, and we’ll be rooting for him as he continues his journey in the sport,” the promotion wrote on Instagram.

‘H20’ currently holds a 11-1 professional boxing record—an impressive mark for a 21-year-old. He joined Most Valuable Promotions around 2022 when he was only 18, after making a name for himself on the regional scene. Under Jake Paul’s banner, he competed in five bouts. Yet despite the recent split with MVP, Ashton Sylve hasn’t been entirely negative toward Paul.

Ashton Sylve speaks candidly about Paul following departure

The 21-year-old was on track to win his bout on the undercard of Jake Paul vs. Mike Perry—until disaster struck in the sixth round at Amalie Arena. Lucas Bahdi landed what many have called the knockout of the year, handing Ashton Sylve his first professional loss in dramatic fashion. The defeat hit ‘H20’ hard, especially since he had stepped in on short notice.

Since then, he has made it clear that securing a rematch with ‘The Prince’ remains his top priority. However, instead of granting him that opportunity, MVP matched him against Nicolas Polanco at their Atlanta event back in April. Then came the surprise: Most Valuable Promotions cut ties with the 21-year-old rising star and followed up with a lengthy public statement explaining the split.

In response, Ashton Sylve didn’t hold back his disappointment. H2O wrote on X and on his Instagram story, “Now MVP and Bahdi won’t even consider a rematch. Just clips of my loss on repeat while others get protected. I unfollowed because I couldn’t keep watching it. Thought Jake was my brother. Thought MVP was my team. Instead of support, I got a release letter. No call. No convo. Just cut. Still training. Still sharp. Still ready to fight.”

At present, Ashton Sylve’s next move in boxing remains unknown, and it’s unclear which promotion he’ll sign with next. We’ll keep you updated as soon as more details emerge. Stay tuned.