Rashad Evans credits Jake Paul with saving boxing
Former UFC light heavyweight champion Rashad Evans is weighing in on the current state of boxing. “Suga” is crediting the ever-popular Jake Paul with saving boxing.
Paul, who garnered fame as a YouTube influencer, is now 8-1 (5 KOs) in professional boxing with three of those wins over former UFC champions in Anderson Silva and Tyron Woodley twice. He also defeated former UFC fighters Nate Diaz and Ben Askren.
“Boxing made a big comeback and a huge part of that is due to the fact that you have got these matchups being made in boxing that are fun, that brings people to watch, and a big part of that is due to Jake Paul, because what he did is he made boxing take a look at itself,” Evans said while speaking exclusively to GiveMeSports.com. “When you see the kind of success that he came into the game with and the market that he is able to hit. If you’re a boxing promoter, you gotta be paying attention to that. You gotta see the numbers that he is hitting right out of the gate with the experience, with the level that he’s at, and making millions and millions of dollars.”
Evans continued to speak about Paul and the success that he had inside the ring.
“Listen, not all his events were successful. Not all ’em were big sales, but it’s accumulation. It is what he’s done with the brand and because of that brand is built so strong, he has a bunch of different copycats. He has a bunch of different people, and he has boxing, itself, going out of its way to make matchups. To do what? Gain the attention, gain the blockbuster headline. So now you’re having more interesting battles happen in boxing because they’re realizing if we don’t do this, then we’re done.”
Paul defeated Andre August in December and will face Ryan Bourland in March.
