Jake Paul wasn’t facing Nate Robinson this time, but a decorated MMA fighter, and the result was 𒈔the same.
Paul, a YouTube sensation, knocked out Ben Askren in the first round of their Saturday night pay-per-view cruiserweight bout at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta with aಞ straight right hand to the he📖ad.
The Triller Fight Club event was televised on FITE.tv for $49.99, and the main-event bout꧑ lasted less than two minutes.
The stoppage was questionable. Askren, 36, wanted to continue, but referee Brian ᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚ𒀱ᩚᩚᩚStutts said he was not in the shape to fight and it was stopped at the 1:59 mark.
Askren ꦰ— who has a 19-2-0 (one no contest) — didn’t seem crushed after the loss. He was shown walking baꩲckstage smiling after the fight, and apparently was in good spirits after making $500,000 in disclosed pay for the bout,
The 24-year-old Paul — a social media influencer who insists he’s a real boxer — hasn’t fought a professional boxer yet, but this was his first victory over a pro fighter. He is now 3-0 with three knockouts with previous wins over Robinson and AnꩲEsonGib, a fellow YouTuber.
“This is the craziest moment of my life,” said Paul, who did pushups in the ring after the win. “I꧅ told y’all I was going to do it in the first round. I told y’all I’m a real fighter. I don’t know how many times I got to prove my♏self that this is for real.
“It’s been four months, I’ve been in training camp every day. I deserve this s–t. I don’t know how many times I have to prove myself that this is for real.
Paul, whose brother Logan Paul t🥀ook a stunner from Kevin Owens at WrestleMania 37 match last week, doesn’t have these top fighters quaking๊ in their boots, judging by their reactions on Twitter.
Robinson, who was panned for taking his fight with Paul, now actually has bragging rights for lasting the longest in the ring against the YouTube star. The former Knick and NBA slam-dunk champion was knocked o🌼ut in the second round in their Nov. 28 bout.