Jake Paul's boxing career badly needed an element to legitimize it, and that was a fight against a professional, active boxer. After five warm-up fights, the Youtuber will finally get a chance to measure himself against a real opponent to watch out for on August 6 at Madison Square Garden, Hasim Rahman Jr.
The Problem Child originally planned to face Tommy Fury. The Brit is also a professional boxer, who boasts a record of 8-0-0, 4 KOs. His clash with Paul was a long shot due to the inexperience of both, but the fight fell through due to immigration issues that prevented Fury from entering the United States.
So far, Jake Paul boasts a record of 5 fights in boxing, all wins, 4 of them by knockout. His opponents, while willing, are light years ahead of the sport's elite: fellow Youtuber Ali Eson Gib, former basketball player Nate Robinson, and former MMA fighters Ben Askren and Tyron Woodley. His moment of truth has arrived.
Why take the risk of facing Hasim Rahman Jr? Jake Paul reveals
Rahman Jr. has boxing in his blood, as he grew up surrounded by it thanks to his father, Hasim Rahman, who was a successful boxer in the 1990s and 2000s: he had the privilege of becoming a unified World Heavyweight Champion by defeating the iconic Lennox Lewis, as well as facing the likes of Wladimir Klitschko, Evander Holyfield and James Toney.
The nicknamed Golden Blood has a record of 12-1-0, 6 KOs, at the age of 31. He has spent his entire career in the heavyweight division. Undoubtedly, it will be a tough, risky test for Jake Paul who could suffer the consequences.
"Nothing but respect for Hasim Rahman Jr., a professional heavyweight boxer with a 12-1 record who comes from a legendary boxing family. He’s bigger, he’s stronger and he’s more experienced. But guess what? I’m crazier. I’m raising the stakes and on August 6, I will get my respect under the bright lights of Madison Square Garden." stated Paul according to Boxing Scene.
Despite the great value that he will bring to Jake Paul's legacy, Hasim Rahman Jr. himself took it upon himself to ventilate, through a live broadcast on Instagram, that he will be the opponent who will receive the least money from The Problem Child, that is no more than 500 thousand dollars. We will see if he retaliates this "injustice" in the ring.