Never Mind His Nickname, Jake Paul Is Not Boxing’s “Problem Child”

By: Sean Crose

Now that Jake Paul has gone forward and defeated a authentic opponent – sure, Anderson Silva was nonetheless authentic, regardless of his 47 years – it’s time to objectively have a look at the fighter often known as “The Problem Child.” First off, Paul is simply that – a fighter – and he must be considered as such by the boxing neighborhood. Not an elite fighter, not a fighter set to win a world title, however an lively and thrilling fighter none the much less, one who’s rising in ability and possesses a formidable diploma of energy. Paul can also be a terrific showman and is enjoyable to observe in motion.

That’s the excellent news. The dangerous information is Paul may be taking an excellent quantity of air out of the world of boxing. Whose faut is that, although? Let’s face it, there’s not a lot air within the boxing world to start with proper now. Major fights are falling by means of and fighters themselves generally seem bored by the concept of dealing with identify competitors (Does Devin Haney actually appear excited concerning the reality he’s prone to face Vasyl Lomachenko in an undisputed light-weight title battle?). Up till very just lately, 2022 had been an excellent 12 months for the game. At the second, nevertheless, it’s a wasteland. That may be an exaggeration, however one might perceive why somebody could be inclined to magnify. What assured huge battle is on the horizon?

So sure, Paul definitely fills a void together with his willingness to problem himself, his dedication to the craft of boxing and his distinctive means to advertise a battle. The fact, although, is Paul can spend a considerable amount of ring time over the subsequent few years combating guys customized made for him – ageing MMA stars. MMA is a authentic and extremely demanding sport, and organizations just like the UFC pleasure themselves on offering thrilling battles.

What which means on this specific case, although, is that Paul can feast on older, fashionable blended martial artists who’re extra apt to interact in a brawl than to attempt to outbox him – all whereas utilizing only some of the strategies they’re used to using within the octagon. For Paul, that’s a recipe for knockout win after knockout win.

We’ve but to see how Paul would do towards somebody proficient within the footwork and punch precision which are the hallmarks of fine boxing. While it’s true boxing and MMA are comparable – they’re comparable in the best way American soccer is to Rugby. In quick, they’re two fully completely different disciplines.

But Paul isn’t guilty for a gradual weight loss plan of older UFC guys. He’s wished to battle skilled boxers. He’s SIGNED CONTRACTS to battle skilled boxers. And, in the end, they’ve confirmed unable or unwilling to share the ring with him. We’re not speaking elite degree boxers, by the best way. We’re speaking boxers who’re at or barely above Paul’s degree, not well-known, maybe, however recognizable sufficient to usher in the pay per view numbers. Guys like Tommy Fury and Hasim Rahman Jr, who had been speculated to battle Paul, however by no means made it to the opening bell.

The backside line? It’s okay for critical followers to not be fully pleased with the rise of Jake Paul – however it’s not okay to say the issue with boxing lies with him. Hey, at the very least he’s in thrilling fights. Not nice fights, however thrilling ones. And generally that’s all you want….for a time frame.