Jake Paul is just one week away from his boxing return, a DAZN-streamed showdown opposite cruiserweight veteran Andre August on Fri., Dec. 15, 2023 at Caribe Royale Resort in Orlando. The contest is going down without the glitz and glamor of some of Paul’s earlier contests, but is designed to establish “The Problem Child” as a legitimate boxer.
Longtime social media rival KSI is using the opportunity to counter-program Paul with a free-to-watch sparring match against popular content creator IShowSpeed. Their Dec. 15 spectacle will stream on YouTube with all proceeds going to charity. Whether or not that effort is able to disrupt Paul’s big moment remains to be seen.
“I feel like the whole entire thing has backfired since it’s just brought more conversation to my fight,” Paul told ESPN. “People have two screens, they can watch two things at once. A 30 year-old guy is out there with me on his mind all the time trying to take things away from me or mess up my business. I think it’s funny that I live rent-free in this kid’s head. He wants to do everything to try to piss me off, annoy me, derail my business, or talk sh*t to discredit me. He’ll do everything except fight me.”
Like Paul, the London-based KSI also parlayed his social media fame into a celebrity boxing career, recently holding events under the Misfits Boxing banner alongside the likes of Tommy Fury and Joe Fournier, among others. There was talk of KSI battling “The Problem Child” at some point, but the bout has not materialized.
Yet.