We get an eight-round cruiserweight bout Saturday when Jake Paul and Ben Askren meet at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta. The card is set to begin around 9 p.m. ET, with the Paul-Askren fight set for later in the show. Below, we break down the Paul vs. Askren odds, with boxing picks and predictions. The fight card is televised on pay-per-view.
Paul vs. Askren: Fight odds
Odds via BetMGM; access USA TODAY Sports’ betting odds for a full list. Lines last updated at 9:40 a.m. ET.
Jake Paul -175 (bet $175 to win $100) | Ben Askren +150 (bet $100 to win $150) | Draw +1600
Paul has an implied win probability of 63.64% with the -175 money line odds. Those odds can be expressed as a fraction of 4/7 or a decimal of 1.57.
Jake Paul vs. Ben Askren: Tale of the tape
Jake Paul
Paul (2-0, 2 KOs) will be taking part in his third fight as a professional, and this will mark the first time he faces an opponent who has made a living in combat sports. The YouTube star and influencer knocked out fellow YouTuber AnEsonGib in his pro debut, and then he whipped former NBA player Nate Robinson on the Roy Jones Jr.-Mike Tyson Triller card in Nov. 2020.
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Ben Askren
Askren (19-2 in MMA) has been successful at every stage of his mixed martial arts career. He has held titles in the Bellator Fighting Championships, the top level of Bellators and the One Championship company, too.
He made his UFC debut at UFC 235 March 2, 2019, and he submitted Robbie Lawler in the first round in a stunning upset. He was knocked out by Jorge Masvidal at UFC 239, and he was submitted by Demian Maia in the main event Oct. 26, 2019, in his last appearance in the octagon. He has battled hip injuries all throughout his career, and it appeared he was done and set for hip replacement surgery. Doctors determined he didn’t need that operation, but his MMA career has apparently come to a conclusion.
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Paul vs. Askren: Odds, predictions and picks
If you have seen the weigh-ins and the staredown, PAUL (-175) looks like the professional boxer and a great physical specimen in amazing shape. Askren (+150) looks like a guy coming in after a long layoff, putting his dad bod on display. If you knew nothing about either fighter, just looking at Paul, you would choose him on optics alone.
Paul has taken this foray into boxing seriously, however. It isn’t just about how he looks, he has actually done a great job in the ring. But that has been against guys who haven’t fought for a living. His knockout of Robinson was a money maker and also a meme maker. Poor Nate Robinson.
He isn’t going to knock out Askren. It’s just not going to happen, but PAUL ON POINTS (+600) is awfully attractive. He won’t knock out a guy who has made his living in the octagon. Askren is tough as nails, but Paul will wow the judges on the technical aspects over an MMA guy boxing for the first time.
If you want some action on this bout, place your wagers at BetMGM now. For more sports betting picks and analysis, visit SportsbookWire.com. Please gamble responsibly.
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Also see:
- Jake Paul out to prove he’s more than a celebrity boxer (usatoday.com)
- Jake Paul vs. Ben Askren: 5 questions (and answers) going into fight (usatoday.com)
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