Jake Paul’s last boxing match delivered arguably his best highlight-reel knockout yet.
The professional boxing career of “The Problem Child” has been a unique one, to put it mildly. Known for his fame as a YouTuber, Paul, 26, got into the boxing world with an amateur clash against fellow YouTuber, Deji Olatunji, in August 2018. He won the bout via a fifth round technical knockout before the launch of his pro career in 2020, which began with another YouTuber opponent and former National Basketball Association (NBA) player, Nate Robinson.
Up until 2023, Paul (8-1) made his name in boxing off former mixed martial arts (MMA) champions as he defeated the likes of Ben Askren, Tyron Woodley (twice), and the all-time great Anderson Silva. Ultimately, “real” boxer, Tommy Fury, was the first to hand Paul a defeat when he won a split decision in February 2023 (watch highlights). Paul has since rebounded with two wins over another MMA veteran, Nate Diaz (watch highlights), and most recently, Andre August, who he knocked out in one round (watch highlights) last month (Dec. 15, 2023). August, 35, had boxed and won only once since 2019 until his Paul match.
“This was my toughest challenge to date,” Paul said of August on his YouTube channel. “10-1 pro boxer, three-time Golden Glove champion. And, well, this is how it went (shows knockout footage).
“2023 has been crazy, to say the least,” he continued. “Starting the year with the biggest loss of my career, I was feeling low, lost, lonely, and unsure of what the future would look like. But the loss for me had so many W’s behind it. I needed to lose. I needed the humbling to give me purpose and give me something to work towards every single day. Sometimes, you get too high on your horse. I was on a winning streak and started to feel invincible. I lost focus, got comfortable.”
Paul is expected to have another intriguing year in combat sports as his potential MMA debut is still in question for Professional Fighters League (PFL). In the meantime, another boxing match is on the horizon as Paul will compete in Puerto Rico on March 2, 2024. His opponent has yet to be revealed.