Editor’s note: This article was originally published on DAZN.com.
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Ben Askren believes he has called the bluff of Jake Paul after he was challenged by the YouTube personality, claiming Paul has gone quiet now that the ex-UFC fighter has expressed an interest.
Paul has boxed twice, pummeling fellow online celebrity AnEsonGib in one round on Jan. 30 before scoring a second-round KO of former NBA star Nate Robinson on the undercard of the Mike Tyson vs. Roy Jones Jr. exhibition on Nov. 28.
Since then, Paul has publicly called out bigger fish, including Askren and one of the UFC’s biggest names, Conor McGregor.
However, Askren posted a video on Twitter to provide an update on the situation.
Hopefully Santa brings @jakepaul some courage for Christmas next year. pic.twitter.com/G7z7UTsfBd
— Funky (@Benaskren) December 27, 2020
“I’m retired, coaching wrestling, doing some podcasts, buying some bitcoin, enjoying life,” Askren said. “I don’t really want to fight anybody. So November, this jabroni Jake Paul calls me out, puts up a poster with my name. It’s kinda funny, whatever, no big deal.
“Well then, a couple weeks later, I get a couple of texts. Then a week after that I get some calls. Then I get an offer. OK, this guy really wants to fight. Am I opposed to making some easy money beating up a YouTuber? Of course I’m not.
“So what do I do? Sure, Jacob, I’ll fight you. No problem. I accept publicly on Twitter, nonetheless. Since then, Jacob’s went silent. Jacob’s kind of a coward. Sorry guys, don’t think the fight is gonna happen.”
Askren hasn’t competed in the octagon since a pair of defeats last year to Jorge Masvidal and Demian Maia, with the Masvidal loss coming in just five seconds.
However, there is no doubt that either Askren or former double UFC champion McGregor would be an adversary several levels above a basketball player or another YouTuber.
Meanwhile, super middleweight boxing champion Billy Joe Saunders has urged McGregor to take Paul up on his offer, assuming of course the YouTuber doesn’t go silent in the same manner Askren claims he has.
“You don’t really want them throwing punches at each other because I can see [McGregor] knock someone out before cold. That fella (Paul) never had a fight in his life,” Saunders told IFL TV.
“You can clearly see boxing is not a playground. I think Conor McGregor will spark him and hurt him bad in UFC or boxing. I still think Conor McGregor takes him bad, to be honest.
“If they’re looking at, what is it? 50 million? Conor McGregor should go and whoop his ass and take that off him because it’ll be very comfortable. But it’s very dangerous.
“If they’re all going to make money and the promoters are going to put in on, who am I to say it’s not good?”
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