Boxing influencer Jake Paul and UFC star Francis Ngannou pack a punch as heavyweight logjam finally set to break
- The sport finds itself in rude health thanks in no small part to the influx of social media stars into the ring
- Paul’s influence is now stretching to the Olympics with the celebrity turned boxer mentoring and promoting US fighters ahead of the 2024 Games
Boxing enjoyed a bumper 2023 powered by the likes of crossover stars such as YouTuber Jake Paul and former UFC champion Francis Ngannou with things very much looking up for the sport.
Not all of the recent developments will be to the taste of the purists but for a sport whose demise is regularly predicted, boxing finds itself in rude health thanks in no small part to the influx of influencers into the ring.
Together with his older brother Logan, 28, Jake Paul has led the charge to introduce the sport to a new generation of fans.
Jake Paul’s influence is now stretching to the Olympics too, with the celebrity turned boxer will help mentor and promote US fighters in the run-up to the 2024 Games in Paris.
Cynics might say it is just another vehicle for the Paul brothers to sell the various products they endorse, but they have undoubtedly caught the attention of the younger generations.
The fact that the younger Paul, 26, suffered the first defeat of his professional career against boxer and reality television star Tommy Fury, half-brother of world heavyweight champion Tyson, has done little to dampen the enthusiasm of the new fans.