Jake Paul has teased negotiations with internet personality and former professional kickboxer, Andrew Tate, in what would be the influencer boxing match to end all influencer boxing matches.
Much has been made about Jake Paul’s next opponent. Following a career-best win over 47-year-old MMA legend, Anderson Silva, the YouTuber-turned-fighter is 6-0 and in the market for his next dance partner.
Boxing fans continue to call for him to fight a ranked professional boxer in the same weight class. Whilst he does consider it and is rumoured to be attempting to reschedule a twice-failed fight with Tommy Fury, he also calls out more UFC fighters in the next breath.
Andrew Tate is now in the conversation, although Paul’s video with him is likely more about drumming up engagement and hits than anything else.
Negotiations. @MostVpromotionspic.twitter.com/PPDDgEpOZm
— Jake Paul (@jakepaul) November 10, 2022
Despite chasing fame on Big Brother UK in 2016, Tate has only recently exploded into popular culture. What got him here was being a self-confessed ‘sexist’ and ‘misogynist’, as well as a social commentator with controversial views that many people followed and supported, but others believed to be wrong, insensitive, and disgusting.
Tate, who has been de-platformed on some major social media networks because of his controversial content, actually does have a fighting background. His professional kickboxing record found online says he has had 85 fights with 76 wins. The mixed martial arts side is less impressive – two wins and one loss. He does not have a professional boxing record.
The Tate video – whilst it could be proven to be a joke – represents a crossroads for Paul, who insists he wants to be taken seriously as a boxer and is adamant that he’ll win a world title before his campaign is up. Fighting Andrew Tate would be all hype, no substance, and likely plenty of money, but it wouldn’t represent a step forward in the sport whatsoever. Over to you, Jake…