On Sunday, he will face Tyron Woodley, the former U.F.C. welterweight champion, at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse in Pauls hometown, Cleveland. It is the first of Pauls multifight contract with Showtime, which will sell the pay-per-view bout for $59.99. The scheduled eight-round boxing match will be contested at a 190-pound catchweight.
Woodley, 39, offers Paul his toughest challenge yet as a fighter. But if Paul wins, he said it will be proof that he can compete with top-tier talent.
Im going to show that even the highest higher-ups dont have hands, Paul said, referring to their fight skills. Im going to continue to expose that. Ive done it once, and Ill do it again.
Paul and his brother lead a new trend among combat sports that blurs the lines between competition, entertainment and spectacle. In June, Logan, 26, fought Mayweather in an eight-round, non-sanctioned exhibition boxing match at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami. The particulars at first seemed outrageous: The elder Paul had fought just once before professionally, while Mayweather, viewed as the one of the greatest boxers ever, boasted a spotless 50-0 record.
But Logan survived until the final bell against most predictions, not even falling to the canvas.
Some fans on social media expressed their disappointment, claiming the fight was rigged. Mayweather historically has fought with a defensive, elusive style rather than seeking knockouts, but few expected that Paul, even with a nearly 35-pound weight advantage, could withstand eight rounds with him.read more
Fight by Fight, Jake Paul Strikes for Credibility
