Jake Paul Will Face Fight Former UFC Welterweight Champion Tyron Woodley In Next Bout
Social media sensation Jake Paul has become boxing’s top PPV draw over the last 24 months. With a 3 – 0 record, many in the media and public have argued that Paul and his team at Triller have hand picked opponents who were either way past their prime, or never a boxer to begin with. That narrative may have just changed.
Jake Paul’s next opponent will be former UFC Welterweight Champion Tyron Woodley. Woodley is a distinguished wrestler with a devastating right hand who was known more for his striking prowess than his grappling over the course of his career. The only major caveat is that Woodley is 39 years old, and 0-4 in his final UFC fights.
“I have a list of people I plan on shutting up with my fists,” Paul said in a statement provided to ESPN. “And as I enter my fourth pro fight, I am excited to knock the first one off the list by challenging myself against a five-time UFC champion known for his knockout power. Tyron’s a seasoned striker who has fought the best in the world. I certainly respect his career, but I will be sending Tyron into a permanent siesta on August 28.
“Maybe this time [UFC president] Dana White will actually be a man and put his money on his former champion instead of trying to undermine my success like a jealous ex. Influencer vs MMA: let’s get it on. It’s showtime.”
Woodley will face Paul this summer in a 190-pound boxing match. The fight date is currently scheduled for August 28th sources have told ESPN. An announcement with date and location is expected to be coming shortly. The match will be an official professional boxing match, the details thus far have outlined the usage of a standard 20 ft ring and 10 oz gloves.
Image credit – showtimeboxing.com
Why would Tyron Woodley, a former UFC Champion, accept a fight with a YouTuber?
Short answer; money. Jake Paul at only 24 years old is one of the most mainstream social media influencers on planet earth. His fights since entering the boxing world have not only produced a tremendous amount of media, but also PPV buys. Leading to huge profile fights for anyone who faces Paul, and equally tremendous paychecks.
The UFC, who recently has come under fire from fans, fighters and the media for their reported fighter compensation, never paid Woodley anywhere near the reported figures for the upcoming Paul fight. The figures which have been reported will put Woodley well above $2 million for a fight with Paul. For a surefire UFC hall of famer who has fought some of the world’s best for much less, a fight with a YouTuber probably seems like a small task.
Is a fight against Tyron Woodley too much of a risk for Jake Paul?
A big risk, but definitely worth the gamble. While Jake Paul has put up enormous PPV buys, and has continued to build his legitimacy as a boxer there are still major questions regarding the difficulty of his opponents. While Ben Askre was an accomplished MMA fighter for years, he was a fighter known for his terrific wrestling and quite frankly terrible striking. Woodley is not just a refined, accomplished striker, but he also has devastating knock out power with both hands. While this was the case throughout most of his career, Woodley over his last 4 fights has looked significantly slowed down by age and has shown a palpable lack of desire to throw punches and exchange. This is where Paul thinks he can claim a win of a world class striker whom is way past his prime and has lost his motivation to win fights. If Paul wins this fight his star power grows exponentially, if he loses, he likely still will draw a lot of attention for subsequent fights as long as he remains competitive versus Woodley.
The risk vs reward for both fighters seems to be well worth it.
