The meteoric rise of Jake Paul to the pinnacle of popularity in the blogosphere has taken an unexpected turn, which has electrified the entire boxing world. The controversial YouTuber garnered so much attention that he managed to challenge none other than the most intimidating boxer of the 20th century, Mike Tyson, to a match.
Jake has always been known for his loud conflicts. Initially, they arose naturally during his work with Disney, but later they became a staple of his provocative videos, solidifying his reputation as a bad boy. Of course, his primary goals were millions of views and millions of dollars, and Paul never hesitated to use any means to achieve them. He questioned traditional education and launched his own educational courses promising young people a quick path to wealth. He created fake relationships and staged fake weddings with popular bloggers. His media empire grew like yeast, but the number of haters grew even faster.
I Love Jake Paul
No one suspected that the popular blogger kept boxing gloves in a dark closet and trained diligently. When he decided to call out his first opponent to the ring, many people eagerly tuned in to watch the fight, as they hated the “Problem Child” and were hoping to see him get beaten. But that didn’t happen.
While his first fight, in which he knocked out a fellow YouTuber, surprised few, the subsequent defeat of three-time NBA Slam Dunk Champion and former basketball star Nate Robinson drew attention in sports circles. Everyone hoped Jake Paul wouldn’t withstand the pressure of former ONE Championship and Bellator champion Ben Askren, even though Askren was a wrestler by trade. But when Askren, too, was destroyed by a powerful right hook, Tyron Woodley, a former UFC welterweight champion, stepped up to defend the honor of the entire mixed martial arts world. Even he couldn’t defeat the brash upstart.
The bold YouTuber celebrated a victory by decision, while a frustrated professional demanded a rematch. What happened during that rematch elevated Jake Paul’s status so much that the entire combat sports world was watching. Woodley was knocked out cold with a humiliating tattoo that had been part of a pre-fight bet. Problem Child had agreed to a rematch only if Tyron got a tattoo saying, “I Love Jake Paul.”
Jake Paul went on to defeat Anderson Silva, who had held the UFC middleweight championship for seven years, as well as notorious fighters like Nate Diaz and Michael Perry, whose toughness and skill are beyond doubt. Jake has only lost once—to Tommy Fury, the younger brother of the Gypsy King, Tyson Fury.
I’ll Be Back
Such a knightly campaign couldn’t go unnoticed. Now, Jake Paul is known as the YouTuber-turned-boxer with the most serious approach to what seemed like an incongruous title. As he triumphed in the sport, he continued to stir the pot in the media, attacking UFC president Dana White. Now everyone knows and talks about him. Even Mike Tyson has praised him, and Problem Child is playing big again, challenging Tyson to a fight. Yes, Mike is a 58-year-old retired veteran, but he loves challenges and has recently returned to training. In his house, there now stands an overconfident youngster, thirty years his junior.
The boxing legend and once “most dangerous man on the planet” hasn’t had an official fight in 20 years since his loss in 2005. As he retired, he said:
“I want to apologize to the fans who paid for this and wasted their time. I think it’s time for me to call it quits. I don’t see the point in getting back into the ring. There’s no use in deceiving myself and disgracing the sport I’ve devoted so many years of my life to.”
However, he returned to the ring in 2020 for an exhibition match against Roy Jones Jr., which ended in a draw. But this fight had no intrigue and wasn’t counted in the official record, where Tyson has 50 wins, 44 of them by knockout. Thirty years ago, the Olympic junior champion and heavyweight world champion set numerous world records.
Can the old world withstand the challenges of a new generation coming from YouTube? The boxing match, scheduled for November 15–16, 2024, will answer this question. Despite their mutual respect, both athletes are determined to achieve the ultimate goal of any boxer—a knockout victory. Whoever wins, they both understand one thing perfectly well: the true winner, in any case, will be His Majesty Boxing.
Photo: JAKEPAUL/TWITTER
Collage: Maxim Konankov
