Ranking every Jake Paul boxing win so far

Jake Paul. Photo: Michael Reaves/Getty Images

Which of Jake Paul’s boxing wins was the best?

Since entering the world of boxing in 2018, YouTuber and former Disney Channel star Jake “The Problem Child” Paul (6–0, 4 KOs) has been divisive. What seemingly began as a cash grab by social media influencers has evolved into legitimate success in the squared circle, specifically from a financial standpoint.

Paul delved into professional pugilism in 2020, and through six bouts, he has earned upwards of $38 million and made the Forbes list as one of the highest-paid athletes in 2022. Regardless of the reservations felt by boxing purists toward Paul’s participation in the sweet science, he has made significant waves impacting the sport.

Along with bringing new eyes into the sport that may have yet to watch boxing, Paul has seen success in the pay-per-view marketplace, with two of his events that he headlined earning upwards of 500,000 buys. In 2021, Paul started his own promotion called Most Valuable Promotions (MVP), signing seven-division women’s champion Amanda Serrano. The signing led Serrano to earn her first million-dollar purse and participate in one of the most important events of 2022 against Katie Taylor last April at Madison Square Garden.

Paul and his team have been astute in how they have moved him throughout his boxing career. Slowly they have steadily increased his level of competition little by little without putting him in over his head.

Let’s take a look back at all six fights of Paul’s career and rank his victories from best to worst.

He’s lost just one fight, to Tommy Fury.

7. AnEsonGib — Jan. 30, 2020

Following a successful fifth-round TKO amateur match victory over British YouTube star Deji Olatunji in 2018, the younger Paul brother turned professional. In his professional debut, he would take on another British YouTube star, Ali Eson Gib.

The event featured an array of quality boxers, such as Demetrius Andrade and Joseph Diaz, with a unified world championship super bantamweight fight between Daniel Roman and Murodjon Akhamdaliev.

Paul would make quick work of Gib, stopping him in the first round relatively quickly. The victory wouldn’t set the world on fire, but it did signify that Paul was better than most in the social media boxing realm. Gib stepped back in the ring more than two years later against Austin McBroom, scoring a fourth-round knockout.

6. Nate Robinson — Nov. 28, 2020

On the undercard of the infamous exhibition match between boxing legends Mike Tyson and Roy Jones Jr., Paul took on former NBA player and three-time dunk contest winner Nate Robinson.

The 5’9 former basketball star was at a height and overall size disadvantage, including a 13-year age difference at 36. However, as a professional athlete, there was a contingency of fans that gave Robinson a chance to defeat Paul.

However, in a show-stealing performance, Paul scored a devastating knockout over Robinson. The knockout trended on social media for months afterward and was made into thousands of memes throughout the Internet, similar to Manny Pacquiao’s knockout loss to Juan Manuel Marquez in 2012.

5. Ben Askren — April 17, 2021

There was a lot of skepticism toward Paul heading into the match with Ben Askren. Unlike Robinson and Gib, Askren is an actual fighter with credentials as a former Bellator MMA and ONE welterweight champion. Askren had recently retired from MMA and was more known for his grappling and wrestling abilities than his striking.

Regardless, there were many in the combat community that, even at 36 and with limited striking ability, felt Askren should be able to handle someone on Paul’s level. The former collegiate wrestling savant may not have taken Paul seriously as he looked somewhat out of shape at the weigh-in.

When the bell rang to start the fight, Askren looked apprehensive, with Paul dictating the fight with his jab. A right hand from Paul sent the former MMA champion to the canvas, and when he rose on wobbly legs, the referee put a halt to the bout. While Askren wasn’t known as a prolific striker in MMA, the way Paul easily disposed of him was shocking at the time.

4. Tyron Woodley 1 — Aug. 21, 2021

The first of the two bouts with former UFC welterweight champion Tyron Woodley was fought in Paul’s hometown of Cleveland. Heading into the match with Paul, Woodley suffered four straight defeats in the UFC and would be making his professional boxing debut. Much like, Askren Woodley wasn’t particularly known for his striking as an NCAA Division I collegiate wrestler. But, he was viewed as another step up in competition for the then 24-year-old Paul.

Woodley did test Paul as, at one point, he did hurt the younger social media star sending him into the ropes. Still, for the majority of the fight, the former UFC champion had his offense on layaway, allowing rounds to slip by him one after the other.

After eight rounds, Paul was awarded a split decision victory with scores of 77–75 and 78–74, with one judge scoring the fight 77–75 for Woodley. In some respects, both men underperformed; however, Paul did show grit and proved that he would not wilt at the first sign of adversity.

3. Tyron Woodley 2 — Dec. 18, 2021

Woodley’s showing in the first encounter with Paul left many wondering if he could have won if he had applied more pressure and thrown more punches. The rematch between Paul and Woodley took place in Tampa, FL, at the Amalie Arena, and this time Paul would leave no doubt.

Initially, Paul was set to take on Tommy Fury; however, the younger brother of Tyson Fury pulled out due to medical issues, leaving room for Woodley to step in for a second bout.

However, the then 39-year-old Woodley failed to improve upon his performance in his first fight with Paul. The match was fought at a slow pace with five uneventful rounds, then in the sixth, a sweeping right-hand from Paul sent Woodley crashing down in brutal fashion face-first to the canvas. The fight was immediately called off. The knockout won knockout of the year from ESPN and streaming service DAZN.

2. Nate Diaz — Aug. 5, 2023

After suffering the first defeat of his professional career at the hands of Tommy Fury in February 2023, Jake Paul decided to rebound against one of MMA’s most popular practitioners, Nate Diaz.

Similar to past opponents, Ben Askren and Tyron Woodley, Diaz would be making his professional boxing debut. However, what separated Diaz from Woodley and Askren is the prevailing perception that the Stockton, California native had some boxing experience training in various gyms in his home state.

There seemed to be some genuine animosity between the two, and with Diaz’s propensity to be willing to trade at almost any point, the fight held anticipation from both boxing and MMA fans alike.

With a 12-year age gap, Paul wasted no time testing his opponent’s chin as he unloaded a barrage of punches on Diaz throughout the first round. Diaz would show his resiliency by not only surviving but continually taking on the aggressor role in most rounds.

In the fifth round, Paul scored a knockdown with a counter left hook that caught Diaz off balance as he was attempting to land a punch on the inside. Diaz looked as surprised as hurt but continued each round as if nothing had happened.

In the final rounds of the match, Diaz would find himself pushing Paul back, throwing punches in combination. But, due to inexperience, most of Diaz’s blows weren’t thrown with proper boxing technique. Thus, they were reduced to being mostly arm punches, having little impact on the social media star.

Having to go 10 rounds for the first time seemingly had just as much effect on Paul as Diaz did. Paul would have his hands raised with a unanimous decision victory with scores of 98–91 twice and 97–92.

Following the match, Paul and Diaz stated that they may have a rematch under MMA rules in the near future. Paul is arguably the most divisive figure in the combat sports world. A large segment of fans tune in to see him lose. A second bout under a different rule set could be bigger than the first.

1. Anderson Silva — Oct. 29, 2022

Unlike Tyron Woodley and Ben Askren, Anderson “The Spider” Silva is considered a combat sports legend as one of the greatest mixed martial artists of all time. Silva is a former UFC middleweight champion and the longest reigning champion in the company’s history, holding the title from 2006 to 2013, including ten title defenses.

Silva wouldn’t be making his boxing debut against Paul, as he came in with four bouts under his belt, including a somewhat shocking victory over former middleweight champion Julio Cesar Chavez in 2021.

At age-47, there was an over the 20-year age difference between Paul and Silva, but there was still a feeling that this would be a significant test for the younger social media darling.

The fight itself was competitive, with a few swing rounds. Paul showed his ability to sustain pressure from Silva and land blows on the back foot. While Silva wasn’t producing a large volume of punches, the pressure by the former UFC champion always left a sense of danger for Paul if he wasn’t prepared.

In the eighth and final round, Paul unexpectedly scored a knockdown on Silva, which sealed his victory on all three judges’ scorecards, winning a unanimous decision. Certainly, Silva was far from his prime years by the time he faced Jake Paul. But, a victory over a caliber such as Silva further enhanced Paul’s growth from being viewed as a mere sideshow to a legitimate boxer.

On Feb. 26th, in Saudi Arabia, broadcasted on ESPN+, Jake Paul won’t be facing an older MMA fighter or a fellow YouTube sensation, but instead, a 23-year-old real boxer in Tommy Fury.

The goalposts have constantly moved for Paul through his short tenure in boxing, and Fury could be the next step in proving himself as a boxer.

Originally published at FansidedMMA on September 26, 2023