by Mark Lorenzana
I’m not a professional boxing writer. Well, I used to be many years ago, but it was a short-lived gig that never earned me enough money to help me quit my day job anyway (but that’s another story altogether), so now I just run this blog where I can post unpopular and stupid opinions freely about fights that interest me.
Speaking of unpopular and stupid opinions, here’s one:
I love what Jake Paul is doing.
A lot of boxing purists say that he’s an embarrassment to the sport.
Well, aren’t those sanctioning bodies that only care about money—more than the welfare of the sport and its fighters—more of an embarrassment? Or those equally greedy boxing promoters who bleed their fighters dry? Or how about the so-called best-of-the-best fighters (mostly self-proclaimed, actually) who only pick and choose who they will meet in the ring?
It’s not hard to see the reason why Jake Paul is immensely hated: he didn’t start out as a boxer; he didn’t cut his teeth on the sweet science. He started out as a social media personality, and a controversial one at that. But I won’t dwell on his status as an influencer; this is a boxing blog after all.
Jake Paul is currently 5-0 in his professional boxing career. He has recently knocked out Tyrone Woodley, a former UFC welterweight champion. Paul already defeated Woodley in August, but that fight lasted the distance. He made sure the rematch wouldn’t.
Before the two fights with Woodley, Paul knocked out another former MMA champion, Ben Askren. Before that, he knocked out Nate Robinson, a former überathletic basketball player who won the NBA Slam Dunk Contest three times (I know you’re gonna say, “What the fuck does being an NBA slam dunk champion have to do with boxing?” Nothing. I just wanted to add that. LOL.)
Granted, Paul hasn’t fought real professional boxers in his short stint in the sport, but that’s my point: he is not a professional boxer. He is a social media influencer who has given a good account of himself so far while practicing the sweet science (while knocking out former professional fighters and athletes in the process, I might add).
Hate on him all you want. He’s still 5-0 with 4 knockouts.
Like I said at the beginning of this post, I’m not a professional boxing writer.
Naturally, it’s easier to root for “amateurs” like me.
(Photo by the LA Times via)
the hurt business 
