Jake Paul is one of the most popular influencers and a Boxer as well. Within a short time, he has already amassed an impressive professional boxing record with seven wins and one loss. Although he is not a full-fledged boxer yet, Jake is still better than most of his contemporaries. Today in this article, we will tell you about some things you should know about Paul if you are his fan.
First Boxing Match
Jake Paul faced YouTuber Deji Olatunji in an amateur boxing match in the co-main event of KSI vs. Logan Paul. He entered the matchup as a big favorite, but his opponent left him bruised and shaken early on. However, Paul survived in the first round and was eventually able to score a stoppage victory in the fifth round. Since then, he has shown great interest in the boxing world and fought many matches.
The first call out
In 2018, when KSI faced Joe Weller in the first high-profile influencer boxing match, he scored a knockout victory in the third round. After winning the match, he took to the microphone and called out the Paul Brothers. Soon, Jake was embroiled in controversies, one after another. Although Logan Paul has already fought KSI on two occasions, a fight between The Nightmare and Jake is still something many fans are waiting for.
The Paul brothers had no interest first
Soon after KSI called Logan Paul and Jake Paul, neither had any interest. In fact, they joked that their father (Greg Paul) would fight him. Jake clearly had no interest in boxing with KSI, so he cleared the way for his elder brother Logan to fight the British YouTuber. But Jake didn’t want to be left behind and gained an increased interest in the sport, so he was booked to fight KSI’s younger brother Deji that same night.
Fought first professional bout in 2020
About two years after defeating KSI’s brother Deji, Jake signed a fight with his buddy AnEsonGib. The two were paired on the undercard of Demetrius Andrade’s title defense against Luke Keeler on January 30, 2020. Although many people were not that impressed with the fight, Eddie Hearn made it clear that influencer boxing is not going anywhere and will continue.
Signed with Thriller Fight Club
After his win over AnEsonGib, Jake became a promotional free agent. Later that year, he signed a two-fight deal with Triller Fight Club promotion. Thriller may be criticized today, but it was a good move for Paul at the time. In November 2020, on the undercard of Mike Tyson vs. Roy Jones Jr., Jake scored a knockout victory over Nate Robinson. Months later, he faced Ben Askren and got a stoppage win. Both Robinson and Askren were introduced as rivals but were a big spotlight for the American.
Feud with KSI Continued
Following Logan Paul’s loss to KSI, Jake and the British influencer began talks about a possible bout. However, the talks failed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Additionally, KSI decided to leave boxing behind at the time and focus on rapping. Despite this, the two continued to speak ill of each other to this day, with talks about a potential showdown taking place throughout this year. However, the fight is not yet finalized.
Rivalry with the former UFC fighter
In preparation for his fight against Ben Askren, Jake had already found his next opponent in Tyron Woodley. He was a longtime friend of Askren and had signed to face “Problem Child” in August 2021. This was Paul’s first bout on Showtime. “The Chosen One” gave Paul the toughest fight of his career but lost that night to a controversial split decision. However, later that year, Jake again fought Woodley and scored a knockout victory over him in December, shutting out all the critics.
Epic win against Anderson Silva
After scoring wins over non-boxers and MMA fighters not known for striking, Paul needed to take a step forward. In October 2022, he fought the UFC legend Anderson Silva, who was almost 50 years old but had a good boxing record of 3-1 that included a win over Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. However, Jake defeated “The Spider” in the most impressive fashion via unanimous decision.
Got his first loss in 2023
Tommy Fury was scheduled to face Jake Paul twice, but he had to pull out due to injury and visa issues. However, on February 26, 2023, fans finally got the much-awaited clash in Saudi Arabia. That was the night when Paul finally suffered the first loss of his career. In the eight-round bout, Jake got a knockdown in the eighth round and he was easily defeated by Fury via unanimous decision.
Got a comeback
Jake got several calls for a rematch with Tommy Fury, but he decided to focus on a bout with Nate Diaz. The incredible MMA fighter left the UFC in 2022 and expressed interest in Boxing. Being a 40-year-old with no boxing experience, Diaz was someone who could give Paul a rebound. Both fought in August 2023, and Jake got an easy win via unanimous decision. After the fight, Diaz and the YouTuber shook hands on a possible rematch, but this time in MMA. Only the future will tell when this bout will be finalized and booked.
Also Read: 5 Best UFC Fights To Watch in December 2023
