Love him or hate him, Jake Paul has undeniably changed the landscape of boxing.
Once known solely as a YouTube star, he has transitioned into one of the most polarizing figures in combat sports, playing a key role in making celebrity boxing a mainstream spectacle.
His journey began in 2018 with an amateur fight against fellow YouTuber Deji, but it was his professional debut in 2020-where he knocked out former NBA player Nate Robinson-that truly put him on the map. Since then, Paul has continued to prove that he’s more than just an internet personality, securing wins against former MMA champions like Tyron Woodley and Anderson Silva.
Ilia Topuria acknowledges Jake Paul’s impact
Paul’s influence hasn’t gone unnoticed, even among professional fighters. UFC featherweight champion Ilia Topuria recently discussed Paul’s contributions to boxing during an interview on the Full Send podcast. While Topuria confirmed that he plans to explore celebrity boxing once he retires from MMA, he also praised Paul for bringing more attention to the sport.
“You have to respect that. One way or another, he makes you go to the TV and watch him fight. And you have to give him his credit. A lot of people say he’s a YouTuber-do the same thing. Do it. Try doing it,” Topuria declared on the ‘Full Send’ podcast.
Paul has undeniably drawn a younger audience to boxing, many of whom had little interest in the sport before his arrival. His ability to blend entertainment with ambition has redefined how boxing is marketed and consumed.
Despite his growing profile, Paul recently suffered a major career setback. He had long set his sights on a fight against Canelo Alvarez, which would have been the biggest challenge of his career. However, those plans collapsed when Alvarez signed a lucrative four-fight deal with Turki Alalshikh as part of Saudi Arabia’s Riyadh Season.
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