The YouTube celebrity turned boxer predicted a first round knockout and that’s exactly what he delivered after blasting Askren with a monstrous right hand during an early exchange.
Prior to the knockout, Paul had already been pursuing Askren with heavy shots as soon as the action got started with the former UFC contender trying to work from the inside and slow down the fight by grabbing onto the clinch. That strategy didn’t deter Paul from unloading heavy punches from the outside, which eventually led to the finishing combination.
Paul set up the knockout with a quick left jab and then he followed it with a straight right behind it that clubbed Askren and sent him crashing to the canvas. Askren was eventually able to get back to his feet but after he was still on wobbly legs as the referee asked him to walk forward, the fight was waived off with the official stoppage coming at 1:59 into the first round.
“This is the craziest moment of my life,” Paul said after moving to 3-0 in his career. “I told y’all I was going to do it in the first round. I told y’all I’m a real fighter. I don’t know how many times I got to prove myself that this is for real.”
.@jakepaul has stopped Ben Askren in the FIRST ROUND!
Did you agree with the stoppage?#TrillerFightClub pic.twitter.com/GqbsSlnuxA
— FITE (@FiteTV) April 18, 2021
Askren was not happy with the stoppage as he argued with the referee after the fight was waived off but replays showed he was definitely still rattled from the right hand he ate from Paul.Did you agree with the stoppage?#TrillerFightClub pic.twitter.com/GqbsSlnuxA
— FITE (@FiteTV) April 18, 2021
Either way the fight was over as Askren comes up short in his first professional boxing match while Paul continues to move forward with his new fight career after initially gaining fame as a social media influencer.
Still undefeated, it remains to be seen who Paul might face next but judging by the buzz surrounding his latest fight with Askren, the world will definitely be watching.
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