YouTuber-turned-professional boxer Jake Paul has been in the limelight, especially in the MMA community, since knocking out former NBA star Nate Robinson.
Jake Paul took on Nate Robinson on November 28th in the co-main event of the Mike Tyson vs. Roy Jones Jr. PPV. Jake Paul won the bout in the second round via a KO. He has since gone on a wild streak, calling out MMA fighters like Conor McGregor and Henry Cejudo.
Jake Paul was also involved in a water balloon fight with Bellator fighter and Conor McGregor’s teammate Dillon Danis.
However, these antics are not sitting well with MMA stars, and two UFC legends have called out the 23-year-old.
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Phil Baroni tweeted a video of one of his sparring sessions, stating that it would mean ‘nothing’ if Jake Paul fought Ben Askren in the boxing ring.
UFC legend and TUF season 1 contestant too Chris Leben tweeted a picture of Jake Paul and himself side by side after their fights with a caption stating ‘Real Man vs. Virtual Reality man. He ain't ready for it’.
Chris Leben last fought in the UFC in 2013 at UFC 168. He has faced legends like Anderson Silva and Michael Bisping in his UFC career. He now plies his trade in Bare Knuckle FC and last fought in June 2019.
Baroni, on the other hand, has fought the likes of Evan Tanner and Brad Tavares in his two UFC stints. He is also undefeated in kickboxing and amateur boxing.
Jake Paul’s boxing career so far
Jake Paul followed in the footsteps of his brother Logan when he decided to turn to pro boxing in Jan 2020.
He faced fellow content creator AnEsonGib and won the fight via TKO in the first round.
Jake Paul then faced former NBA star Nate Robinson on November 28th. While his second fight went to the second round, commentators took notice of the fact that his boxing had vastly improved since his first outing.
After much back and forth on social media, Jake Paul is expected to face Ben Askren in his third boxing match in March 2021.