Former UFC star Ben Asken agrees to box Jake Paul and ‘make whole bunch of money beating up pretend athlete’
- ‘Funky’ confirms he will face ‘deluded’ YouTuber Paul in a boxing ring on March 28 card in Los Angeles
- ‘I will humble you like millions of people want to see happen,’ says former Bellator and ONE Championship welterweight champ
Retired MMA star Ben Askren has agreed to a boxing match against Jake Paul – and vowed to “humble” the “deluded” YouTuber.
UFC legend Chael Sonnen first tweeted out the fight poster on Tuesday night for the March 28 event in Los Angeles, California, which will be promoted by Triller.
Former Bellator and ONE Championship welterweight champ Ben Askren, who retired for the second time last November after a brief but memorable 1-2 run in the UFC, confirmed the news to BJPenn.com’s Cole Shelton, saying: “I think so, he needs to get beat up.”
The 23-year-old Paul – the younger brother of fellow YouTuber Logan Paul, who is set to face boxing icon Floyd Mayweather in an exhibition bout in February – knocked out retired former NBA star Nate Robinson, 36, in the co-main event of last month’s Mike Tyson vs Roy Jones Jnr card.
The 36-year-old American Askren (19-2) later posted a video on Twitter.
“Yes, Mr Jake Paul I do accept,” he said. “I know you called me out after your last fight against that bum Nate Robinson, and listen, it’s a pretty simple choice.”
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“I’m gonna make a whole bunch of money, to beat up a guy who is pretending to be an athlete, because at the end of the day that’s what you’re doing,” Askren added.
“I know you may think I don’t have too many stand-up skills, but also I don’t need to. I’m a world-class athlete. I’ve won NCAA titles, I’ve been in the Olympics, won belts in multiple mixed martial arts organisations.
“And quite frankly, I am impressed that you’ve deluded yourself into thinking that you’re actually a fighter, that you are really tough, that you can really box.
“It’s quite impressive that beating up another YouTuber and beating up a boxer who looked like he’d never been in the ring before makes you somehow good at boxing, because it doesn’t.
“So yes, Jake, I accept, I will see you March 28 in Los Angeles and I will humble you like millions of people want to see happen.”
Askren underwent hip surgery this year after deciding to hang up his gloves following a defeat by Demian Maia (28-10), which came on the heels of a spectacular five-second flying knee knockout by Jorge Masvidal (35-14). But he told BJPenn.com his hip was feeling much better now.
