YouTube sensation-turned-boxer Jake Paul is back in the ring to face former UFC welterweight champion Tyron Woodley in the main event of a card at the Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse in Cleveland on Sunday (Showtime PPV, 8 p.m. ET.)
Paul (3-0, 3 KOs), 24, of Cleveland, has taken boxing by storm with impressive KO victories over fellow YouTuber Ali Eson Gib, former NBA star Nate Robinson and former Bellator MMA champion Ben Askren.
“Tyron said he’s training like he’s fighting Mike Tyson,” Paul said during a media workout on Wednesday. “Floyd Mayweather is training him, and you can tell he’s in shape. He’s got the six-pack back. He’s looking good. He’s not messing around. This is his biggest fight ever, and the whole MMA community is counting on him to represent them and to get the W. Unfortunately, that’s not going to happen. And when I beat him, there will be no excuses, because he was being trained by Floyd Mayweather.”
Woodley, 39, of Ferguson, Missouri, who’s making his boxing debut, won the UFC title against Robbie Lawler at UFC 201 in 2016. He defended the belt four times but lost his last four fights after that.
“This is just a lot of fun. I haven’t had fun in a long time, to be real,” Woodley said. “I loved this training camp. It was one of my most fun ever. I don’t have any issue with Jake Paul. Only issue is he signed the contract. He’s trying his very best to play the mind games. But I’m a man. I don’t play kids’ games.”
In the co-main event, Amanda Serrano (40-1-1, 30 KOs), 32, of Brooklyn, New York, defends her WBC and WBO featherweight titles against Yamileth Mercado (18-2, 5 KOs), 23, of Chihuahua, Mexico.
Stay here for live undercard results and analysis.
Fight in progress: Charles Conwell vs. Juan Carlos Rubio, 10 rounds, junior middleweights
Still to come:
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Jake Paul vs. Tyron Woodley, 8 rounds, cruiserweights
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Title fight: Amanda Serrano vs. Yamileth Mercado, 10 rounds, for Serrano’s WBC and WBO featherweight titles
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Montana Love vs. Ivan Baranchyk, 8 rounds, welterweights
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Daniel Dubois vs. Juiseppe Angelo Cusumano, 10 rounds, heavyweights
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Tommy Fury vs. Anthony Taylor, 6 rounds, cruiserweights
Jake Paul vs. Tyron Woodley, 8 rounds, cruiserweights
Title fight: Amanda Serrano vs. Yamileth Mercado, 10 rounds, for Serrano’s WBC and WBO featherweight titles
Montana Love vs. Ivan Baranchyk, 8 rounds, welterweights
Daniel Dubois vs. Juiseppe Angelo Cusumano, 10 rounds, heavyweights
Tommy Fury vs. Anthony Taylor, 6 rounds, cruiserweights