Athleticism doesn’t necessarily mean much in boxing.
Former NBA player Nate Robinson, making his debut in the sweet science, learned that the hard way against Jake Paul on the Mike Tyson-Roy Jones Jr. card Saturday at Staples Center in Los Angeles.
Paul, the YouTube personality-turned-boxer, put Robinson down three times and stopped him at 1:35 of the second round of a scheduled six-round cruiserweight bout.
Robinson was nervous and overeager from the outset, throwing wild punches and wrestling with his opponent more than one sees in a typical fight. Paul (2-0, 2 KOs) isn’t exactly Floyd Mayweather but he has spent a lot of time in the gym.
Paul waited for openings and took advantage of them when they presented themselves. He put Robinson down with a right above Robinson’s ear – perhaps behind his head – in the last 30 seconds of Round 1.
About a minute into Round 2 a right to Robinson’s forehead put the 36-year-old flat on his face. He was able to get up but was in serious trouble. Then came the final blow, one more right to the chin that put him on face again.
Referee Thomas Taylor stopped the fight immediately, giving Paul an impressive victory.
“I’ve been training my ass of for the past year,” Paul said. “I’m taking this seriously. I have a long list of opponents I want to fight, Conor McGregor, Dylan Danis, I will knock both of them out. There’s my brother (Logan Paul), Austin McBroom.
“I want to be in the sport for a long time. I’m in love with it. Why not?”
At the same time, Paul, who lives in Los Angeles, said he’s in no rush to realize his goals in boxing.
“I’m willing to be patient,” he said. “I’m only 23 years old. Deontay Wilder started boxing at 21. I have a long future ahead. I’m just getting started. I talk a lot of s— but I back it up.
“Actions speak louder than words.”
