The next opponent of YouTuber of Jake Paul has officially been named and he is from the mixed martial arts scene. Ben Askren, one of the original names called out by the 23-year-old, finally got some confirmation after formally accepting the challenge last December.
Paul and Askren will face each other on Apr. 17 with the location yet to be announced. The YouTuber will be looking to add another win to his boxing record although he may be in for a fight. The 23-year-old is coming off an emphatic win over former NBA player Nate Robinson, someone he finished with a vicious KO in the second round a couple of months ago.
Paul confirmed the fight on Instagram, vowing to knockout Askren in the same way he did to Robinson. Here is what his Instagram post read:
It’s official. April 17th. @triller Fight Club. pic.twitter.com/eYcaTOJhlt — Jake Paul (@jakepaul) January 26, 2021
“It’s official :) Representing the UFC Mr. Napoleon Dynamite look-alike @benaskren finally accepted the fight. He is a two-time NCAA champion, a world champion in two different global mixed martial arts organizations and has less losses on his record than Conor Mcgregor, yet, I’m still going to knock him out faster than Masvidal did… Some MMA guys think because they throw punches they know how to box. I shocked the world when I knockout an NBA superstar athlete, but some people still complained that he’s not a real fighter… So now I’m giving the people what they want by taking on a real fighter… After I add Ben to my knockout meme collection, what can anybody say? @triller Fight Club. April 17th. 82 days. The countdown starts now. Be ready.”
Surprisingly, critics are giving Paul a slight edge mainly because he has some boxing experience. “Funky” is known more as a wrestler so it will be interesting how Askren will prepare for this fight.
Time is not on the side of the retired mixed martial arts fighter who is likely to get all the help he needs. He has been known as a fighter in the cage but most know that all this differs when he takes the boxing ring.
This development also addresses the claims of Askren that the Paul camp had gone radio-silent on him since he accepted the fight. Curiously, the announcement comes not long after Conor McGregor lost to Dustin Poirier at UFC 257. It will be recalled that Paul had wanted the Irishman as his next opponent even though McGregor never really paid much attention to it.
Askren will have to buck the odds and not take Paul for granted. This will be his first boxing match and “Funky” has not been active since 2019.
