YouTuber turned Boxer Jake Paul and former UFC welterweight champion Tyron Woodley participated in a pre-fight faceoff for the first time since their August boxing match was announced earlier this week.
The two came face-to-face at Miami’s 5th Street Gym just three days before the Logan Paul vs. Floyd Mayweather exhibition takes place at nearby Hard Rock Stadium. Paul and Woodley will fight in a professional boxing match scheduled for August 28th in a Showtime pay-per-view.
The two have been in a war of words on social media since Paul’s first-round knockout over former UFC welterweight Ben Askren in his latest pro boxing bout. Woodley got into a pre-fight altercation with Paul and his team just hours before the fight with Askren.
The two got heated once again at the 5th Street Gym in their first meetup of many leading up to their fight. Paul chastized Woodley’s recent struggles in the UFC octagon and relative inexperience in boxing, while Woodley seemed unfazed by the staredown.
Woodley, the former UFC welterweight belt holder, has lost his last four fights in the UFC including a submission loss to Vicente Luque at UFC 260. MMA Fighting was the first to report Woodley not being under contract with the UFC following his loss to Luque.
Woodley will instead make his professional boxing debut after a long-tenured career in MMA. He’s well-known for his knockout power on the feet and toughness in competition, two skills that are sure to come handy as he makes this new venture in his career. In an interview with TMZ Sports, Woodley also didn’t rule out boxing another time this year after the fight with Paul.
As for Paul, his rise to stardom in boxing skyrocketed after his knockout win over Askren. Another dominant performance over Woodley would cement himself as a true factor in the sport both competitively and financially.
What is your early prediction for Tyron Woodley vs. Jake Paul?