Tyron Woodley promises ‘violence’ in Jake Paul rematch
- Former UFC welterweight champion Tyron Woodley will get an unexpected rematch with YouTube star turned boxer Jake Paul on December 18
- After losing a split decision to Paul in their first fight, Woodley vows to win sequel by knockout
Tyron Woodley is getting an unexpected second crack at Jake Paul, and he does not intend to let the opportunity go to waste.
Woodley, the former UFC welterweight champion, first met his fellow American, who has parlayed social media fame into a headline-dominating boxing career, in the boxing ring in August. “The Chosen One” had some success in the fight, most notably blasting Paul with a huge punch in round four, but ultimately lost a split decision.
In the weeks after the loss, Woodley (19-7-1 MMA, 0-1 boxing) was adamant that he deserved a rematch. But when Paul (4-0 boxing) accepted a fight with British reality television star and boxer Tommy Fury, it looked like the former UFC champ was out of luck.
Then fate intervened. When Fury was forced out of the match-up by a potent cocktail of injury and illness, Woodley was offered the opportunity to step in against Paul on short notice. He did not hesitate.
“When I got the call about this fight I had already been training and had in my mind that I was going to fight four times next year,” Woodley, 39, said during a media conference call on Thursday. “I was already getting battle ready for a fight in January. It took me 20 seconds to say yes and now we’re here.”
“Things happened the way they were supposed to happen. This is the fight that should have taken place anyway. More people were excited for this fight. These things happen for a reason.”
Woodley believes he deserved the judges’ nod in his first fight with Paul, but admits there are a few things he could have done different to strengthen his case.