YouTube sensation Jake Paul will fight for the third time as a professional against former UFC fighter Ben Askren on April 17.
Paul, who has amassed over 20m subscribers on YouTube, will face Askren in a location to be confirmed after signing with Snoop Dogg’s Fight Club, with the fight to be shown on Triller pay-per-view.
The 24-year-old blitzed former NBA star Nate Robinson inside a round on the undercard to Mike Tyson’s exhibition with Roy Jones Jr in November, having beaten fellow YouTuber AnEsonGib last January and called for a showdown with Conor McGregor, prior to his shock defeat to Dustin Poirier at UFC 257 on Saturday.
“It’s official, representing the UFC Mr Napoleon Dynamite look-alike Ben Askren finally accepted the fight,” Paul posted on Twitter.
“He is a two-time NCAA champion, a world champion in two different global mixed martial arts organizations and has less losses on his record than Conor McGregor.
“Yet, I’m still going to knock him out faster than [Jorge] Masvidal did. Some MMA guys think because they throw punches they know how to box.
It’s official😈. April 17th. @triller Fight Club. pic.twitter.com/eYcaTOJhlt
— Jake Paul (@jakepaul) January 26, 2021
“I shocked the world when I knockout an NBA superstar athlete, but some people still complained that he’s not a real fighter. So now I’m giving the people what they want by taking on a ‘real fighter.’
“After I add Ben to my knockout meme collection, what can anybody say?
“April 17. 82 days. The countdown starts now be ready.”
Askren retired from Mixed Martial Arts in 2019, after requiring hip surgery and with a record of 19-2, having claimed the Bellator and UFC One Welterweight championship and was a 2008 Olympian in Wrestling.
The 36-year-old, who competes in his first boxing fight has vowed to show his rival what it takes to be a fighter.
“I know Jake Paul is enjoying pretending he is a fighter,” Askren said.
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“I think on April 17 he is going to have a rude awakening to what being a fighter is really like.
“Jake has led a privileged life and doesn’t really know what the meaning of being a fighter is. I’m going to put his dreams to an end.”
ESPN report that the fight is scheduled for eight rounds in a 20×20 ring with both fighters wearing 20oz gloves.
