Paul offered a chance to save his MSG date.
Jake Paul sensationally pulled the plug on his Madison Square Garden debut last week; cancelling his fight with Hasim Rahman Jr. over apparent concerns that Rahman could not (or would not) make the agreed upon weight for the bout.
That’s the third fight cancellation Paul has had to endure over the past 12 months. The previous two hiccups both involved Tommy Fury.
The British boxer was supposed to face Paul last December, but an injury ruled him out. Former UFC welterweight Tyron Woodley filled in at the last minute for Fury and received a face-plant KO for his troubles.
Fury was supposed to be Paul’s MSG opponent, too. However, he was denied entry in the US due to his brother Tyson Fury’s association with wanted organized crime kingpin Daniel Kinahan.
Paul vs. Rahman Jr. was supposed to be this weekend. Despite the entire event being cancelled, Paul has received a life-line from a man who is desperate to take Rahman’s place and resurrect the show.
According to TMZ Bola Osundairo has told Paul to keep the date open and to fight him under the bright lights. The 28-year-old 2-0 pro is best known for his involvement in the Jussie Smollett controversy.
Osundairo said that his high profile involvement with Smollett could help sell the fight with Paul.
“People know me,” he said. “People know of me. I’m one of the Nigerian brothers involved in the Jussie case, the Jussie Smollett case. So it will sell, this fight will sell. People know me more than Hasim Rahman Jr. Nobody knows him outside of boxing.”
“This will be a real fight,” added Osundairo. “This won’t be like the Jussie Smollett fight. This will be a real actual beatdown, Jake Paul. So after I beat you up your name’s gonna change to Jackie Paulette.”
In 2019 Osundairo and his brother Olabinjo Osundairo assisted Smollett in pulling off a hate crime hoax. Smollett had met the brothers on the set for his television series Empire. They were working as extras.
Smollett had the brothers disguise themselves and stage an attack on him near a surveillance camera in Chicago’s Streeterville neighbourhood. The staged attack included the brothers shouting homophobic slurs at Smollett, who is gay, pouring bleach on him and placing a noose around his neck.
Smollett reported the incident to police and said that one of his assailants shouted “MAGA country” during the attack.
During an investigation it was discovered that the Osundairo brothers had been paid $3,500 by Smollett for their part in the ruse. Smollett was eventually charged with disorderly conduct and filing a false police report. In 2021 Smollett was convicted of five felony counts and sentenced to 150 days in jail and a fine of over $120,000. Smollett has appealed those convictions.
It has been theorized that Smollett staged this incident to raise his public profile and increase his pay on Empire.