UK Boxing
Butterbean’s body transformation, £1.5m ultimatum, Mike Tyson and Jake Paul’s ‘fraud’
Published
2 months agoon
Butterbean has an incredible 77-10 record
Butterbean has never shied away from stepping into the ring with Jake Paul. Eric Esch, 58, whose real name is Eric, has consistently challenged the social media sensation turned professional boxer.
Paul, who initially rose to fame on platforms like Vine and YouTube, made his boxing debut in 2020 amidst the influencer boxing craze. Since his first-round TKO victory over AnEsonGib, Paul has built an impressive 9-1 professional boxing record, taking on not only other influencers but seasoned champions from the combat sports world.
In April 2021, he scored a victory over former ONE FC welterweight champion Ben Askren, and then followed it up with two wins over former UFC welterweight champion Tyron Woodley. In 2022, Paul continued his winning streak with a unanimous decision over arguably the greatest middleweight MMA fighter of all time, Anderson Silva, who held the UFC title for six years and 265 days, defending it ten times over the likes of Chael Sonnen, Vitor Belfort, Forest Griffin, and Stephan Bonnar.
With additional victories over Nate Diaz and Mike Perry, Paul is currently riding a four-fight winning streak, following his only defeat to Tommy Fury in February of last year. However, his toughest fight to date will come in November when he faces former WBA, WBO and IBF heavyweight champion Mike Tyson.
Even though Tyson is past his prime – he is 58 and has not fought since retiring in June 2005 – boxing enthusiasts around the world are eagerly awaiting the historic clash, wondering if “Iron Mike” will be the first to knock Paul out when they go head-to-head on November 15, according to reports. Star of the day.
Butterbean, however, seems more focused on securing his own fight with Paul in the near future – after repeatedly challenging ‘Problem Child’ with tempting offers. Here, The Express examines all of Butterbean’s offers for Paul…
Butterbean plans comeback fight with Jake Paul
Butterbean fights for form – March 2022
Butterbean compiled an impressive 77-10-4 boxing record from 1994 to 2013 before eventually retiring, having won the IBA Super Heavyweight World Title and the WAA Heavyweight World Title at the peak of his career. He also dabbled in MMA with organizations such as PRIDE FC, K-1, and KSW.
In retirement he was plagued by mobility problems, reportedly weighing over 500lbs (over 35 stone) to the point where he needed crutches and an electric scooter. However, with the assist of WWE star Diamond Dallas Page, Butterbean managed to shed a significant amount of weight, hoping to return to the ring for one last fight with Paul.
Discussing his incredible transformation and impending return to the ring, the renowned boxer announced: “I’m working with DDP to get back to walking and running and I feel in the best shape I’ve ever been. I’m at fighting weight. You’ll have to listen to my podcast to find out exactly how much weight I’ve lost, but I haven’t weighed that much in over 20 years, so that’ll give you an idea.
“The huge announcement is that I’m going to have one last fight. That’ll be next year. Jake Paul, if you’re ready, I’m here for you, my friend. Let’s get started, me and you, Jake Paul. I bet it’s going to be an amazing fight. After what you said about me in the magazine, I’m ready to fight you. Are you ready? I don’t think so.”
Eric “Butterbean” Esch has spoken out about the possibility of returning to the boxing ring.
Jake Paul has previously laughed off any comparisons between himself and Butterbean, aka the King of Four. In November 2020, while at 5-0, Paul dismissed his critics by declaring, “They can f**k off,” in a clear dismissal of the iconic fighter.
Losing Weight and Looking to Get Back – July 2022
Meanwhile, revealing his own body transformation last year, Butterbean boasted about his drastic weight loss, dropping from 515 pounds to just over 300 pounds. In a July 2022 statement, Butterbean didn’t mince his words when speaking about his views on Paul, saying: “I’m not your typical boxer, I go out there to fight, I want to knock someone out. Jake Paul or Mike Tyson. Jake Paul talks too much, he’s never fought anyone, I’d like to fight him.
“But I think people would like to see me and Tyson fight, which would be a hell of a lot of fun. Me and Tyson are friends, but I don’t mind fighting friends.” Butterbean revealed that he had the opportunity to face Tyson in 2020; however, the boxing legend refused to spend quality time with his family.
£1.5m offer – July 2024
Earlier this year, Butterbean took to social media to try and challenge Jake Paul, announcing a bold £1.5 million winner-takes-all offer. It came after Jake Paul was due to fight Tyson around the same time but ‘Iron’ Mike pulled out with an ulcer, prompting stand-in Mike Perry to enter the ring at the last minute.
Seizing the opportunity, Butterbean immediately contacted Paul via social media, enticingly proposing, “Hey Jake Paul, would you mind fighting me for $2 million?” [£1.5million]“The winner takes it all.” After a triumphant sixth-round TKO over Perry, Paul rescheduled his meeting with Tyson for November 15.
Butterbean doubles its offer – August 2024
In August 2024, a video surfaced online showing Butterbean’s stringent workout routine. After a month of Paul’s silence on his TikTok video, Butterbean returned to social media in August to suggest he was still waiting for an answer to their £1.5 million fight offer. Following Paul’s victory over Perry, Butterbean took to TikTok to show off his hand-to-hand combat skills and challenge Paul: “Jake Paul, what are you waiting for? Are we going to do it or what?”
Tyson and Paul will fight in November
Tyson and Paul’s Fraud – August 2024
In August 2024, Butterbean called the proposed Tyson-Paul fight a complete “scam” during a passionate tirade at Georgia Pop and Horror Con. During a Q&A, he declared, “He and Tyson will never fight. It was a scam from the start, just to get Jake’s name out there — and it happened!
“This guy, everybody’s talking about him. But he’s never going to fight Tyson. They never planned to fight each other because the promoter would never let him fight anyone else between fights. Never – not a fight that huge. So it was a sham from the start.”
Extended Invitation – August 2024
Last month, after a long effort to secure a match with Paul, Butterbean appeared to extend an invitation to Tyson as well. He posted several intense training videos on TikTok, hitting the pads demanding, with the caption: “Getting ready for my next opponent… Hope you’re ready @JakePaul @Netflix @MikeTyson.”
In a candid conversation with Chris Van Vliet, Butterbean expressed his desire to face Mike Tyson, even at the age of 58. He admitted: “I’ve never been knocked out. [Tyson’s] I’ve been knocked down quite a few times. I don’t talk crap, I like Mike Tyson.
“But he’s actually diminutive, he’s not a huge guy. He’s sturdy, there’s no doubt about it! The reason me and Tyson could fight, Tyson wouldn’t be afraid. He’d come right at me, we’d go in the middle of the ring and pummel each other. That would be a hell of a fight to watch!”
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UK Boxing
Darren Till threatens to kick Tommy Fury in the head after the match and risk disqualification
Published
14 hours agoon
November 23, 2024Former UFC welterweight fighter Darren Till has shockingly stated that he will utilize illegal tactics in his upcoming boxing match with Tommy Fury. Tommy, the younger brother of heavyweight champion Tyson Fury, is set to return to the ring following his recent victory over YouTuber KSI.
The fight was officially announced on social media by Fury and in a press release, which confirmed that Till, who triumphed over Mohammad Mutie in his boxing debut, will face “TNT” at next year’s Co-Op Live event in Manchester. An excited Fury commented: “It’s great to finally say I’m back! I’ve been out of the ring too long.”
He added: “I have itchy ankles so I’m excited to announce my return and headline a huge event in my hometown and in front of my fans. Till has had a good career in the UFC, but he steps into the boxing ring now against a real professional and he will quickly realize that he has reached his limit and this is not the game for him. “I plan to deal with Till decisively and then compete in even bigger fights in 2025.”
The highly anticipated fight is scheduled for January 18, and tensions already rose during the first press conference on Tuesday evening.
During a fiery press conference, Till boldly threatened Fury, stating: “At the end of the day, I can’t beat you, I’ll just kick you in the face,” and continued with a cheeky declaration of his fighting skills: “How about this? I’m a real fighter, not a boxer. I don’t go into a room like that, watch boxing and say “f**k.” I’m going in, no one here is a threat to me. Not a single person in this room, security, you and your dad, pose a threat to me. I’m an MMA fighter, so if I want to kick you or elbow you in the face, I’ll do it and there’s nothing anyone can do about it.”
Fury quickly responded, dismissing the threat: “Well, it’s not going to happen if it’s Darren. Because we are not in a cage now, we are in a boxing ring and you will find that boxing is very different from MMA.”
However, Till stood by his earlier statement: “Well, it’s obvious, how are you going to stop me? If I lose the fight, I’ll kick you right in the face. You won’t know what will happen.” he hit you.”
Tensions escalated further when Tommy’s father, John Fury, caused a stir by throwing water at Till, leading to a fight requiring security intervention. Despite heated exchanges and a physical altercation, the fighters were eventually separated and serene was restored.
At the age of 31, Darren Till stepped into the MMA spotlight, quickly rising to prominence as a top fighter in the sport. The Liverpool fighter made headlines in 2018 when he challenged for the welterweight title but was defeated by Tyron Woodley.
After this match, Till moved to the middleweight division. His last win in the Octagon came in 2019 against Kelvin Gastelum, after which he recorded a three-fight losing streak.
His eight-year stint with the UFC ended last year when he was released from the organization. Despite his transition to boxing, Till foresees a return to his MMA roots in the future.
He confirmed his intentions, stating emphatically: “Yes. “100 percent,” when asked about a potential return to the UFC. “Of course I want to return to MMA. In a few years I will come back and fight again. I want to make a lot of money, but it wouldn’t work in the UFC, it’s all about the money. I want to have some good fucking fights there again. That’s what I want to do.
UK Boxing
Jake Paul could fight Anthony Joshua next if the YouTuber’s stance on the British boxer is clear
Published
1 day agoon
November 22, 2024Jake Paul has decided to fight the sport’s established elites after defeating Mike Tyson, his promotional partner has revealed.
Paul won last week’s big-money fight in Texas by unanimous decision, but the YouTuber-turned-boxer was criticized for taking on the 58-year-old.
However, after the fight, it is believed that Paul will be looking to take his boxing career to the next level and will want to “test the limits of what is possible” in the ring.
I’m talking to Heavenly sportspromoter Nakisa Bidarian said: “He has a lot of options. He will take a few days off and next week we will meet with him, his advisors and coaches to determine next steps.
“It was an opportunity to capture the world’s attention and remind them why it is such a stunning sport. Jake was instrumental in this during the Mike Tyson match and we strategically placed Katie Taylor and Amanda Serrano right in front of them.
“As for Jake’s future – honestly, whatever he wants.”
Speculation is rife as to who Paul might face next, with Daniel Dubois and Anthony Joshua among his potential opponents.
Dubois even called out the 27-year-old after the Tyson fight, posting on social media: “Hi Jake, good business this weekend, but how would you feel about fighting for the legitimate world heavyweight championship, Daniel Dubois calling you out Let’s get into it.
Bidarian revealed that this is something his client would like to get involved with.
He continued: “Jake gave me the word that I wanted to do this fight [against Dubois]. Not now. But I want to fight this fight.
“I want to do this by wanting to become the world cruiserweight champion. The second is to test the boundaries of expectations. Testing the limits of what is possible.
“That event with Mike Tyson, which tested the limits of what the world could see, and his fight with Anthony Joshua or Daniel Dubois, are in a way the same thing.
“Jake weighed 227 pounds, but he actually weighs 215 pounds. But he will do it under the right conditions and within the right framework.”
According to reports, Paul earned £32 million for the fight with Tyson, but Bidarian would like to emphasize that the American is not involved in the sport for the money.
When asked about Paul’s motives, Bidarian stated: “It’s not about the money. He has made a lot of money since he was 18. It’s really about disruption.
“It’s really about doing things that make you say, ‘Wow, that really happened.’ That excites us.”
UK Boxing
Amir Khan is yet to support Mike Tyson’s pledge as Jake Paul “accepts” a modern fight offer
Published
1 day agoon
November 22, 2024Amir Khan has promised to “slap” Jake Paul if he beats Mike Tyson, although it’s unclear whether he intends to do so. Last weekend, Paul secured a unanimous points victory over Tyson in front of 72,000 fans at AT&T Stadium in Texas, with tens of millions more watching on Netflix.
The controversial fight did not live up to expectations, with “Iron Mike” physically weakening after just two rounds due to the overall lack of drama. Nevertheless, it captured the world’s attention as Tyson, 58, faced a man 31 years his junior in his first professional fight in almost two decades.
In a pre-competition speech, British boxing icon Khan said she would like to “give it to him”. [Paul] a little slap and I’ll get him done’ should he triumph over ‘The Baddest Man on the Planet’. “Mike is a friend of mine, I FaceTime him and we talk, but when you have a 58-year-old man fighting a teenage fighter in his prime, you really feel bad for him,” Khan, 37, said.
“But you can’t feel too sorry for Mike Tyson because he took that opportunity. It’s arduous, but I wouldn’t want to jump into the ring.
“Ultimately, it was Mike’s decision to go into the ring and fight. If he gets beat, you want to protect your friend and step in and say I’m going to beat him, so if he beats Mike Tyson, yeah, I’d definitely like to slap him a little bit and put an end to it.”
It is unclear whether Paul, 27, would be ready to fight Khan, although the Bolton-born former pro may have to wait in line. The likes of Carl Froch and Tony Bellew have challenged ‘The Problem Child’, as has IBF heavyweight champion Daniel Dubois, who defeated Anthony Joshua in a thrilling clash at Wembley Stadium in September.
On X, Paul shared a message from Dubois that read: “Hi Jake. Good business on the weekend, but how would you feel about fighting for the legitimate heavyweight championship of the world? Daniel Dubois is calling. Let’s do it. “
In response, Paul sent back a photo of the scoop along with the message: “Get in line.” He then added: “The guy has been boxing for 12 years, had over 100 fights between amateurs and professionals, and fought on my card… hahaha. But fuck it… I’ll ask Nakisa to talk to Frank Warren and you’ll be put in line for the throne, unlike Arthur, you have at least a few thousand fans.”
Time will tell if Paul will actually step into the ring with 27-year-old Dubois, especially considering the YouTuber’s history of choosing opponents who are not professional boxers. That said, last year he insisted he had dreams of becoming world champion and a fight with Dubois would give him the chance to achieve that.
“I’m going to be a world champion, and these fights are just a stepping stone to achieve that goal,” Paul said in 2023. “I’m slowly making progress. I have sparred with world champions and performed phenomenally against them, so who knows what might happen in two or three years when I reach the peak of my sport? I’m starting to really understand this sport and all of its aspects.
“It’s really scary what could happen. “Not only do I think I’m going to be a world champion, but I think I’m going to be a dominant world champion and I’m going to knock someone out for the belt.”
So far, 11 of Paul’s 12 professional fights have been against other content creators, MMA stars or, in Tyson’s case, retired boxers. The only established professional boxer the Ohio native has faced is Tommy Fury, who defeated him by split decision in February 2023.
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