CLEVELAND – Jake Paul definitely does things a lot different than most professional prizefighters.
An unapologetic Paul admitted during their final press conference Thursday that, yes, he is looking past Tyron Woodley. That’s how little Paul apparently wants the public to believe he thinks of his opponent Sunday night at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse.
No matter how they truly feel, boxers almost always talk up the prowess of their opponents, if for no other reason than to sell their fights as competitive endeavors worth time and financial investments from fans – in this curious case, $59.99. One of the most common themes among favored fighters is that they haven’t underestimated their opponents.
Not Paul, an undeniable disruptor during his short time in the sport.
“I am overlooking Tyron Woodley,” Paul said at the Hilton hotel. “You know, most people sit up here, like [Tommy] Fury, and he’s like, ‘Oh, I have a tough opponent.’ No, when I know what’s gonna happen, when I’m confident in my skill, I’m already thinking about the next opponent.”
England’s Fury, the half-brother of WBC heavyweight champion Tyson Fury, could become Paul’s next opponent if they win their cruiserweight fights Sunday night at the home arena of the NBA’s Cleveland Cavaliers. The 22-year-old Fury (6-0, 4 KOs) is scheduled to box another MMA fighter, Anthony Taylor (0-1), in a six-round bout on the televised portion of Showtime Pay-Per-View’s five-fight telecast (8 p.m. EDT).
“Why do you think this guy’s sitting right behind me right now?,” Paul said in reference to Fury, who was seated behind him on the dais. “When you know what’s gonna happen, you’re confident in your preparation, when you know what’s gonna happen, it’s easy. This is a easy sport.”
Fury interjected once a shirtless Paul uttered his name.
“Your time is coming, pal,” Fury said. “Don’t mention my name out of that garbage mouth of yours.”
The 24-year-old Paul’s considerable confidence aside, Woodley is considered by far the toughest of his four opponents since he launched his pro boxing career in January 2020. Though well past his physical prime, the 39-year-old Woodley was known as a powerful striker during his successful run in UFC.
Odds-makers obviously view this as a much more competitive contest than Paul’s easy knockout wins over fellow YouTuber Ali Eson Gib, retired NBA point guard Nate Robinson and retired UFC fighter Ben Askren. Most Internet sports books have made Paul only about a 2-1 favorite versus Woodley, a former UFC welterweight champ who went 19-7-1, including seven knockouts and five submissions, during his 12-year MMA career.
Keith Idec is a senior writer/columnist for BoxingScene.com. He can be reached on Twitter @Idecboxing.
