Jake Paul has carved out a earnest path for himself in the boxing world, despite starting his career with witty videos on Vine and YouTube. Logan Paul’s younger brother, Jake, is set to defend his 9-1 boxing record in a fight against UFC and BKFC star Mike Perry this weekend.
Despite stepping into the ring just six years ago for an amateur fight against KSI’s brother Deji Olatunji, Paul has already defeated some big-name fighters. Ben Askren, Nate Diaz, Anderson Silva and Tyron Woodley have all been defeated by Paul since his pro debut against AnEsonGib in 2020.
‘The Problem Child’ shows no signs of slowing down, with a fight against 14-8 MMA star Perry set for Saturday, ahead of a clash with boxing legend Mike Tyson in November. Paul was originally scheduled to face the 57-year-old Tyson on July 20 at the ATandT Arena in Arlington, Texas, but health issues forced ‘Iron’ Mike to pull out earlier this year.
Undeterred, Paul has accepted a last-minute replacement in the form of Perry and will face the bare-knuckle boxer tonight. But who exactly is Jake Paul and what does his personal life involve? Here’s what The Express explains.
Humble beginnings
Jake Paul first rose to fame in 2013, during the heyday of short-form video platform Vine. Born and raised in Cleveland, Ohio, Paul moved to California to pursue his dreams of stardom. By the time Vine closed, he had amassed 5.3 million followers and over 2 billion video views.
Paul’s Vine content revolved around parodies and sketches, a trend that continued when he moved to YouTube in 2014. His channel is full of jokes, controversy, and even music. His music video “It’s Everyday Bro” has amassed a staggering 300 million views on the platform, while his song “I Love You Bro” featuring his brother Logan has also amassed over 179 million views since its release in June 2017.
After building an impressive social media following and honing his online presence, Paul found himself on the set of the Disney Channel series Bizaardvark, playing a character who accepted and completed challenges. In 2018, at the height of the YouTube boxing saga featuring stars like KSI, Joe Weller, AnEsonGib and Jay Swingler, Paul decided to give boxing a try.
His first – and so far only – amateur fight was against KSI’s brother Deji at the Manchester Arena in 2018, which he won by technical knockout in round 5. Meanwhile, Logan Paul and KSI headlined the event, which ended in a six-round draw.
Boxing career
After first trying out combat sports in 2018, Paul began to seriously consider a career in boxing. He trained relentlessly before scheduling his first professional fight against fellow YouTuber AnEsonGib in January 2020. Although the fight was scheduled to last six rounds, Paul finished it in the first round with a powerful straight right.
After a triumphant pro debut, Paul scheduled a fight with former basketball star Nate Robinson in November 2020. The YouTube sensation won the fight by knockout, stopping Robinson with a brutal right hook as he charged at him. With an undefeated record of 2-0 on the line, Paul upped the ante by challenging former UFC star Ben Askren in April 2021.
Known for his wrestling skills and lack of striking technique, Askren was considered an underdog and was defeated by Paul in the first round by TKO. Paul has since notched victories over UFC stars Nate Diaz, Tyron Woodley (twice) and Anderson Silva, as well as Andre August and Ryan Bourland.
Although a split decision loss to Tommy Fury in February last year exposed some weaknesses in Paul’s game, he remains committed to boxing and is set to prove his worth with a win over Perry this Saturday, followed by a showdown with Tyson in November.
Logan’s brother and a member of the boxing family
Jake Paul, brother of fellow YouTube star and combat sports enthusiast Logan Paul, has carved out his own path in the fighting arena. The younger Paul initially took up boxing, fighting KSI as an amateur in 2018 before a split decision loss in their 2019 rematch attracted significant attention.
Jake then surprisingly shared the ring with Floyd Mayweather Jr., one of the world’s greatest boxers, in a prestigious exhibition match in 2021. Not only did he survive every round against the former IBO, IBF, WBC and WBA champion, but he also caused a viral storm by grabbing Mayweather’s hat during a promotional event, inspiring him to get a “gotcha hat” tattoo as a memorable keepsake.
Logan, meanwhile, recently scored a victory in the world of boxing, securing a sixth-round disqualification victory over the fearsome Dillon Danis last October. Despite Danis’ attempts to catch Logan in a guillotine choke and land blows after the fight, Logan emerged victorious in another eye-catching fight.
A flourishing love life
In matters of the heart, Jake Paul has been openly courting Jutta Leerdam, a renowned Dutch speed skating champion. Making their romance official in April 2023, Paul delightfully declared on Instagram, “I am Dutch now.” In their first social media post, the pair were seen holding hands, with Paul wearing camouflage trousers and a black T-shirt, and Leerdam oozing charm in a chic brown dress.
The second photo shows the pair enjoying a night run, with Leerdam beaming next to her shirtless lover, who shows off his chiseled physique. Since making her debut on the ice at the age of 11, Leerdam has amassed numerous titles, including gold medals at the Dutch, world and European championships.
She also won silver in the 1,000 meters at the 2022 Beijing Olympics and holds several records, including the world record in the team sprint, set on February 13, 2020, with a time of just 1:24.029 at the Utah Olympic Oval. Paul has previously been linked to social media sensation Tana Mongeau and model Julia Rose.
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