Is Jake Paul a professional boxer?

YouTube sensation Jake Paul ventured into the sport of boxing in 2018 with his first fight being against fellow YouTuber Deji. Paul made his professional boxing debut in 2020 against another YouTuber named AnEsonGib (Gib) and secured victory in the very first round via TKO.

Basketball player Nate Robinson was the next target for Jake Paul as a pro-boxer. The two competitors fought it out on the undercard for Mike Tyson vs. Roy Jones Jr., which was streamed live on Triller. With a second-round TKO victory, the younger of the Paul brothers established himself as a real threat for his upcoming opponents.

In January 2021, Jake Paul announced his next pro-boxing match. The YouTuber will trade blows with Ben Askren, a former Bellator MMA and ONE welterweight champion.

The journey from fighting amateurs to competing against professional athletes can be accredited to Jake's critics, who believe the YouTuber has not faced 'real' competition as a pro-boxer. Ben Askren held a record of 19-2 prior to announcing his retirement in 2019 and seems to be Jake Paul's answer to his critics.

It’s official😈. April 17th. @triller Fight Club. pic.twitter.com/eYcaTOJhlt

— Jake Paul (@jakepaul) January 26, 2021

With a fragile 2-0 record as a professional boxer, Jake Paul has become one of the most talked-about combat sports athletes worldwide. If he emerges victorious on April 17th against Askren, his stock will propel even further as 'Funky' is a former Olympic wrestler.

Many MMA and boxing pundits are considering Paul to be the A-side in this matchup. Ben Askren's striking is not considered to be his best weapon. Instead, 'Funky' is known to have a relentless wrestling approach in most of his fights. He defeated the likes of Douglas Lima with this same approach.

Will Jake Paul fight Floyd Mayweather in a professional boxing match?

Floyd Mayweather is arguably the best defensive boxer in the history of the sport. The veteran recently took to Instagram to reveal his plans for 2021. 'Money' has claimed that an exhibition match between himself and Logan Paul (Jake Paul's older brother) is scheduled to take place in 2021. After Logan, Mayweather is looking forward to trading blows with Jake Paul as well.

However, Jake has dismissed this proposition as he wishes to fight Mayweather in a pro-boxing match instead of an exhibition bout. Floyd is undefeated as a pro-boxer and Jake Paul wants to break his streak. Paul stated in an interview with TMZSports that Mayweather is afraid to 'risk his legacy'.

"I could totally see a Jake Paul vs Floyd Mayweather matchup a year from now. He is a lot harder of an opponent than McGregor. Floyd is one of the best boxers to ever live. But he doesn't scare me. I am doing legit pro fights. That's my goal. I am 2-0 with two KOs. If Floyd wants to do his exhibitions, cool. I am a real fighter, He has to take me seriously. I think... he is afraid to risk his legacy of his 50-0 record in case he were to lose", said Jake Paul

Nevertheless, if this fight comes to fruition, fans can expect a hell of a buildup as both the combatants are known for their trash talking.