Jake Paul has not fought a professional boxer in his short boxing career, but he now owns a knockout victory over a professional fighter. Paul scored a TKO in the first round over former UFC fighter Ben Askren in their clash with Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta.
Paul, a YouTube star, quickly came out against Askren and finished off a while he used on Askren’s head and body. Askren, a skilled wrestler who had never been known as an attacker in his successful mixed martial arts career, looked stiff and slightly robust as he tried to find a way inside with the younger, stronger and faster Paul.
While Paul demonstrated a solid technique, it was clear that Askren would have to turn things into a dirtier fight than a straight boxing match. Unfortunately for Askren, a crushing overhand from Paul caused him to fall to the floor. Despite the score, the referee deemed Askren unable to continue and suspended the fight at 1:59 from Round 1.
Askren protested against the strike, but the repetition showed that as the referee ordered Askren to walk forward, the former mixed martial artist moved sideways at the same time. Askren was shown smiling behind the stage after the match, apparently in a good mood after earning $ 500,000 in disclosure for the match.
“It was four months, I was in a training camp every day,” Paul said after his victory. “I deserve this shit. I do not know how many times I have to prove to myself that it is real.”
Paul has yet to prove that he can compete against trained boxers, but he did everything that could reasonably be asked in his trio of circus fights to start his boxing career. Paul became a professional with a first round of TKO from YouTuber AnEsonGib before brutally stopping former NBA star Nate Robinson in a viral knockout in his next fight. Now that he has beaten Askren, it remains to be seen whether Paul will try to continue to establish himself as a legal boxer or to continue on a path that is undeniably successful from a financial point of view.
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CBS Sports was with you the whole time on Saturday, so follow the live results and highlights below.
Fighting card, results
- Defeat Jake Paul. Ben Askren via TKO in the first round (ref stop)
- Regis Prograis def. Ivan Redkach by unanimous decision (60-54, 60-54, 59-54)
- Steve Cunningham defeated Frank Mir by unanimous decision (60-54, 60-54, 58-56)
- Defeat Joe Fournier. Reykon via the second round TKO (corner strike)