Ben Askren presumably will earn a big paycheck April 17, and it’s all because of someone whose popularity he can’t quite figure out.
Askren, a former ONE Championship and Bellator titleholder, is set to box Jake Paul on that date at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, headlining a pay-per-view that will cost $49.99.
Askren knows why he’s doing this: to get his competitive juices flowing and for the money. And he’s happy about that. He just doesn’t understand why Paul matters so much in the first place.
“I’m yet to get an answer that I’m fully satisfied with,” Askren told MMA Junkie Radio. “I don’t really get it.”
Get it or not, the popularity of YouTubers Jake Paul and his brother, Logan, as social media stars is undeniable. Jake has 20.3 million YouTube subscribers to Logan’s 22.9 million. Jake as 14.7 million Instagram followers to Logan’s 18.9 million. Jake as 3.8 million Twitter followers to Logan’s 5.9 million.
Both Paul brothers moved from Ohio to Los Angeles in hopes of making it as actors, but that never panned out. So what is there to actually care about when it comes to Jake Paul? What talent does he possess that warrants the attention he receives?
Askren is perplexed. For answers, he’s turned to kids on the youth wrestling team he coaches – and he still doesn’t get it.
“I don’t think there’s any good answer,” Askren said. “They’re all like, ‘He does a lot of dumb things.’ Or, ‘He says crazy stuff.’ But it’s like, OK. So? So what? There’s nothing that … I don’t know. People who I liked growing up: Chris Farley, I think he’s hilarious; Chris Rock, I think he’s hilarious; Muhammad Ali, I’m inspired by this man. People who I liked, I could name a reason why I liked that person. And with these guys (the Paul brothers), that just doesn’t seem to be the case.”
Paul, 24, turned his attention to boxing last year and now has two professional wins over fellow YouTuber AnEsonGib and former NBA All-Star Nate Robinson. That’s it. Since then, he’s called out a plethora of MMA fighters, including Conor McGregor, Nate Diaz, and Dillon Danis.
Askren, 36, unquestionably enters the bout with much more combat sports experience – but as a wrestler and mixed martial artist. Boxing never has been his strong suit, which is why he’s spent the week training with legendary boxing coach Freddie Roach at Wild Card Gym in L.A.
Askren has been dismissive of Paul’s chances of winning ever since the fight was announced. And as much as he doesn’t like or understand the Paul phenomenon, he said he won’t enter the fight specifically looking to teach him any lessons.
“Jake Paul’s gonna be an idiot before me, he’s gonna be an idiot after me,” Askren said. “This guy’s an idiot. That’s what he does. What kind of lesson? He’s too stupid to learn anything.”
Ben Askren perplexed by popularity of Jake Paul, who’s ‘too stupid to learn anything’
