By: Sean Crose
They say that the Floyd Mayweather-Conor McGregor boxing match of 2017 will quickly be forgotten because it was so lucrative. And, in a very real sense, they were right. The fight between the most famous boxer and the most famous mixed martial artist has pretty much gone down as analysts of both sports thought it was going to happen – with McGregor fighting gambling, but in the end couldn’t beat Mayweather in Mayweather’s own sport. No harm, no foul. A lot of money was made for everyone involved and the non-fight fans seemed to have been pleased with the pay-per-view event. Again, it’s a scramble for cash, not an all-time war.
However, the match clearly had an impact. Ask yourself this, is Jake Paul, perhaps the most famous boxer on earth (including boxing and MMA), is the incredible success story he had as Floyd and Conor Not the first to pave the way for novel duels? The truth of the matter is that Mayweather-McGregor may not be memorable, but it is certainly influential. Which brings us back to Paul. He’s set to rematch with former UFC great Tyrone Woodley this weekend in Tampa. Although Paul has never fought a professional boxer, there is no doubt that Woodley is a solid opponent for him.
In fact, Woodley gave Paul all he could handle when they met in the ring earlier this year. Paul won 4-0, but he looked irritable and uncomfortable as the game continued. Here’s Paul’s thing, though: This man takes boxing very seriously. It’s not just a game for him. He’s a hard worker, but he also trains hard. Moreover, he has natural strength. Like it or not, Jake Paul can still turn off the lights. Maybe that’s why he now says he wants to move on to face heavyweight star Canelo Alvarez in the future.
‘I will fight Canelo 100%,’ Daily Mirror quote Paul. “Look at this guy Avni Yildirim… he sat down in the corner and gave up. He didn’t throw a punch.” Paul brushed aside the assertion that he was too inexperienced to face what many now consider the best fighter on earth. “It’s not about how long you’ve been doing something,” he said. “It’s about how you did it right.” It can be doubted that Canelo will feel Paul has proven himself worthy of a shot at him. Mayweather retired when he agreed to face Paul. Canelo is now fighting for glory and legacy.
Then again, one never knows. This is boxing, after all.
