We’re in the home stretch. In a few hours, Jake Paul takes on ex-MMA fighter Ben Askren in a boxing match that promises to break the internet. They’ll fight tonight: Saturday, April 17, starting around 6 p.m. PT/9 p.m. ET. The Paul brothers, Jake and Logan, have fought multiple times between them, but this one’s a little stranger. Ben Askren fought in MMA and is a former world champion.
Jake Paul and Ben Askren are fighting eight rounds at Cruiserweight. That means both fighters can’t weigh anything over 200 pounds. Considering Askren fought at 170 during his MMA run and 174 as a collegiate wrestler, you can expect him to be massively under that limit. Jake Paul weighed in at 189 pounds for his last boxing match.
Jake Paul vs. Ben Askren Fight Prediction
Paul is an obnoxious personality, but he’s also young, strong and seems to be taking boxing seriously in the gym. That has paid off against non-boxers. Askren is not young, but isn’t going to be overwhelmed mentally by the idea of being in a fight on a big stage, and he has taken hard punches to the face through his career. That’s not true of someone like Nate Robinson, so Paul will have to experience a willing opponent who understands what fighting really is. The problem for Askren is that he simply has never been a striker and has struggled in the stand-up game even against other non-strikers through his MMA career. Did a few months of strict boxing training elevate Askren’s game to where he can box with a taller, stronger, younger opponent who has dedicated a few years to the sport? That’s a mighty big ask.
Jake Paul vs. Ben Askren Fight Card
Main Event
- Jake Paul vs. Ben Askren
Preliminary Card
- Regis Prograis vs. Ivan Redkach
- Steve Cunningham vs. Frank Mir
- Joe Fournier vs. Reykon
- Junior Younan vs. Jeyson Minda
- Lorenzo Simpson vs. Francisco Torres
- Quinton Randall vs. William Jackson
ake Paul vs. Ben Askren odds
- Jake Paul: -190
- Ben Askren: +148
- Draw: +2000
