Budding pugilist Jake Paul will face his toughest test to date when he collides with legacy bruiser Hasim Rahman Jr. atop the Showtime boxing pay-per-view (PPV) card scheduled for Sat., Aug. 6, 2022 inside Madison Square Garden in New York City.
Rahman Jr. takes over for British boxer Tommy Fury, who was booted from next month’s lineup after failing to fix his travel issues with the local embassy. “TNT” also bailed on their cruiserweight showdown last December, leading to Paul vs. Woodley 2.
“I’ve wanted this fight ever since Hasim ran his big mouth to me two years ago in the gym,” Paul wrote on Twitter. “My brother and manager didn’t want me to take this fight. They said it was too much risk. The New York State Athletic Commission didn’t want to approve this fight because they said Hasim has too much experience for me. He has over 100 amateur fights, ten times more than Tommy… but I’m built different. I’m psychotic. CHAOTIC. PROBLEMATIC.”
The 31 year-old Rahman Jr. is 12-1 as a pro and coming off a fifth-round technical knockout loss to James McKenzie Morrison last April in Las Vegas. As for Paul, 27, he improved to 5-0 with four knockouts by planishing Woodley in their Tampa rematch.
“But ‘he’s a heavyweight’ they said. It don’t matter to me, I’m the fighting flea, they can’t hit me,” Paul continued. “I’m slippery like butter and with speed like no other. My power is unique and my style is sleek. I’ve made the toughest men weak. I’m not afraid of any man or what ‘can’ happen. No boxer has taken this big of a risk this early in their career. They don’t have my heart, they don’t have my soul, they don’t have my drive, and they definitely don’t have my team. Welcome to history. Take a picture.”
A kickoff press conference is scheduled for July 12 in New York.