Social media star and professional wrestler, Logan Paul, will throw down opposite jiu-jitsu ace and Bellator veteran, Dillon Danis, TONIGHT (Sat., Oct. 14, 2023) inside AO Arena in Manchester, New England in the co-main event of the Misfits Boxing ‘Prime Card.’
I’ll confess: I waited until the last possible moment to write this. Not because I have some moral obligation to analyzing influencer boxing, but because the simple reality is that half of this fight’s promotion has been related to the idea that Danis isn’t going to show up. Even the day before the event, nobody was sure if Mike Perry would be called upon to fill in at the last moment for either Danis or even a cut-open Paul.
My fingers are crossed even as I type.
The match up itself is … interesting. Logan is not like his brother Jake. He’s not committed to boxing, even if he manages to score names like Floyd Mayweather. Danis, meanwhile, may be a long-time Conor McGregor sparring partner, but he’s only ever demonstrated his grappling skill in competition.
Let’s take a closer look at the keys to victory for each man:
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Photo by Ben Roberts Photo/Getty Images
Logan Paul
Record: 0-1
Key Wins: Nope. A “draw” versus Floyd Mayweather in June 2021
Key Losses: KSI (November 2019)
Keys to Victory: Paul, if nothing else, is a physically gifted athlete who knows how to get in shape. He’ll also have a size advantage, which certainly counts for something in any combat sports. But, is his boxing any good or notably technical in any way?
Nah.
As such, bullying the smaller man is his best bet. Danis is unlikely to be comfortable in a scrap, given his own lack of experience in the ring. Boxing is fatiguing enough, but boxing with a bigger opponent who wants to shove him around and impose his size is even more tiring.
Two simple things that could really help Paul would be to target the body occasionally and mix up the angle on his right hand. His best land against Mayweather came when he feinted his overhand then threw a more straight punch, so that kind of small tactical decision could actually pay off here against an equally inexperienced boxer.
Dillon Danis
MMA Record: 2-0
Key Wins: Max Humphrey (Bellator 222), Kyle Walker (Bellator 198)
Key Losses: None
Keys to Victory: Danis is a jiu-jitsu black belt under the legendary Marcelo Garcia, and at one point, he did have some hype in the competition grappling scene. Then, he moved into MMA, trained with Conor McGregor, and never fought anyone of note. In his pair of fights, Danis either wrestled or jumped guard immediately, so his striking skills are pretty much a complete mystery.
Fortunately, outboxing Logan Paul is not rocket science.
I have to assume that Danis has learned something over the years working with the likes of McGregor and Alex Pereira. He hasn’t proved it, but his stand up should be at least okay, right? Better than Paul’s, at least? Unless he’s followed a Jake Shields-esque kickboxing development, years training at elite MMA gyms should craft a better boxer than a part-time YouTuber with big muscles.
Still, let’s keep it simple here: jab. Danis has to jab, keep his guard high, and move his feet. Really, that’s it. Paul is terrible at boxing, and he doesn’t know how to pace or defend himself all that well. If Danis has a half-decent jab and is willing to work behind it, he can shut down a lot of Paul’s wild swings and probably find some hard connections in the process.
Bottom Line
It’s a spectacle.
Paul hasn’t been in the ring since June 2021. Perhaps he’s improved significantly in that time, but given his focus on developing as a professional wrestler and various entrepreneurial pursuits, it feels unlikely. Really, it doesn’t matter if he wins or loses, because unlike his brother, being somewhat good at boxing has never been apart of his draw.
It’s all about the narrative.
As for Danis, he somehow acted like a doofus online — we’ll never truly know the percentage of trolling versus genuine — long enough to score a huge payday. If he wants another, however, he probably has to win this. Everybody wants to see a loudmouth shut up, but if he loses to Logan Paul, there’s no mystique as to what would happen against anyone else.
Later tonight, Logan Paul and Dillon Danis will settle their beef in the ring. Who earns the victory?