Is Jake Paul a Good Boxer or Just a YouTube Sensation?

Photo by Attentie Attentie on Unsplash

Jake Paul’s competence as a boxer is a hot talking point for boxing fans. For a while now, sports news and media outlets have debated his merit as an amateur and professional boxer, with some going as far as claiming that his involvement in boxing is tarnishing the reputation of the sport.

The reality is that there’s no evidence for such a bold claim, and boxing odds reflect the rising popularity of the young newcomer. Still, that doesn’t answer the question of whether or not he’s a good boxer. Let’s take a look at the facts for a clearer picture, beginning with the events that led up to where we are now.

Past to present

Jake Paul gained significant fame through his content creation on social media platforms. His first videos, uploaded to Vine and YouTube as early as 2013, were filled with pranks, practical jokes, and other lighthearted content. His channel picked up steam rapidly, putting him on the radar of major commercial brands due to millions of followers.

Thanks to his meteoric rise in popularity, Paul landed a role in Bizaardvark – a comedy television series on the Disney Channel. The show ran for three seasons and performed relatively well in terms of viewership numbers, but the end of the second season led to a transformational pivot in Paul’s career.

Paul was fired by Disney following a series of controversies regarding his partying habits. In response, he announced that he would be focusing on his music career, business ventures, and personal brand. This resulted in the formation of the entertainment collective Team 10 in 2016, followed by TeamDom in 2017.

Then, seemingly out of the blue, Jake and his older brother, Logan Paul, organized a pair of amateur boxing matches where Logan would take on another popular content creator, KSI, and Jake would fight KSI’s younger brother, Deji Olatunji. Jake won his fight via technical knockout in the fifth round, officially marking the beginning of his amateur boxing career.

Playing to strengths

Capitalizing on the tension between prominent influencers is a running theme for Jake Paul. His proficiency in marketing and media management have made him one of the highest-paid athletes in 2022, and the match-up pitting brothers against brothers clearly served as a catalyst for his career. But how good is he in the boxing ring, exactly? What are the experts saying about his skill and technique?

Paul has fought six more opponents since his first match, five of which were won by either KO, TKO, or unanimous decision. The remaining bout was won via split decision, but that still leaves Jake with an undefeated performance history. He demonstrates the talent needed for a professional boxer, and several famous fighters have praised his fighting style.

Legendary boxer Mike Tyson, for example, complimented Jake on his precise striking, which is incredibly high praise from one of the most famous heavyweight champions in the world. Oscar de la Hoya, another legend of the ring, regards Jake as a serious contender, a fighter who has the potential to beat champion-level fighters.

Boxers and trainers alike appear to recognize his prowess as a striker, and it seems as if a lot of the negative criticism is due to his unconventional start as a professional boxer. He had the fame and the money long before he threw his first punch, and it’s this dynamic that seems to rub some critics the wrong way.

Fair criticism

Despite the negative connotations attached to being an influencer fighter, Jake has managed to make a name for himself as a tough competitor who has what it takes to hold his ground in the ring. However, some of the criticism leveled at him is fair and logical, especially when the context behind some of his fights is revealed.

The main issue is that Jake hasn’t fought any of the best boxers of today. Every fight has been against older boxers and retired fighters, leading some boxing fans to believe that crafting the persona of a champion is more important to Jake than being an actual champion.

To silence some of the naysayers, Jake will have to demonstrate a willingness to take chances. Signing up for bouts that provide a real test of his skill is the best way to prove his most vocal critics wrong, but it all depends on his mindset and what he wants to achieve with his boxing career.

Ultimately, he’s an entertaining fighter who has the ability to draw spectators to a fight. That alone is enough to make him a good boxer, regardless of his skill and who his opponents are. If he’s able to beat UFC and ONE welterweight champions, he clearly has what it takes to leave his mark on the world of boxing.