The Jake Paul circus continues this weekend – and as most would expect, the social media performer did his utmost to create a stir to generate interest ahead of Sunday’s fight with Tyron Woodley.
Paul beat Woodley in a split decision in August, and they’re going around again because Tommy Fury pulled out with a medical condition.
So it came as no surprise when Paul arrived at this morning’s press conference in a ski mask, of all things.
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“They’re going to give me a guy I already beat, this is a bank robbery,” he said.
“That’s why I’ve got the ski mask on.”
The conversation quickly turned to comments made by the former UFC champion earlier this week, when he claimed he chose not to knock Paul out in their first fight due to a shoulder injury.
Paul dished out a quick retort over the claims, saying he could have knocked out Woodley.
“I hurt him multiple times in that fight, but for some reason, people don’t want to talk about that,” he said.
“Seventh round, overhand right… you fell forward into my arms and I saved your life. But not this time.
“I didn’t hit you with my best shot. It was a bad night and I still beat you. You should be embarrassed by that cause I beat you on a bad night. You don’t know what’s coming.”
Paul took aim at Fury missing the fight due to a “severe chest infection and broken rib” while boasting that he could make $250 million from his boxing career.
He also had a ‘Most Valuable Boxer’ belt designed and painted by artist Alec Monopoly, which cost around $700,000, placed in front of him during the press availability.
“I’m 24-years-old. I can take over the world and become the next Muhammad Ali at the rate this is going,” he said earlier in the week.
“What does he [Woodley] have? He has nothing. I have a much bigger story here. A much bigger presence.
“I’m doing something that no one has ever done before. For him to win, it doesn’t help the sport. It doesn’t help the world, and no one will really care.”
While he plans to be filthy rich, it’s understood Paul has genuine fears about brain damage, and recent tests show those fears are real, according to the former Disney star.
Paul said he’s suffering from memory loss less than two years into his professional boxing career, claiming the blows he’s taken in sparring and in his four fights have worsened brain trauma he suffered playing American football.
“I got my brain scanned right before I started boxing and the doctor told me there’s lack of blood flow from the concussions I had playing football to certain areas on my brain,” he told Graham Bensinger.
“One of them I believe is the frontal lobe which is partial for memory and so on. After my first year of boxing, I went back and it was worse.
“(The doctor’s) advice is don’t do that sport.
“That’s all they can advise as a doctor, I think before it was affecting me at a rapid pace because I never took it easy.
“I was always thrown in there with people who were way better than me until I started to slowly get to their level.”
The 24-year-old said his speech has also deteriorated since taking up the sport.
“You’re doing something that is detrimental to your long term health.
“I notice it in conversations with my girlfriends or friends, not remembering something that I should be able to remember that happened a couple of days ago.
“Sometimes in my speech, there’s like every 100th or 200th word I’ll mess up or like slur, which I didn’t do that before.”
The 4-0 boxer said he’s taken to psychedelic drugs in a bid to combat brain trauma.
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