Jake Paul hails Lionel Messi as "the greatest athlete of all time" alongside "most impactful" late boxing legend

Lionel Messi (left), Jake Paul (right)
Lionel Messi (left), Jake Paul (right)

Competing in what is likely to be his final FIFA World Cup ever, Lionel Messi has been hailed by Jake Paul as the best soccer player of all time

'The Messiah' often finds himself leading the pack when the conversation of the greatest of all time arises, with Cristiano Ronaldo, Pele, and the late Diego Maradona among those being included in the discussion. Known for his time at Barcelona, the Argentinian now lights up the soccer world playing for Paris Saint-Germain.

In a post on social media, Jake Paul announced Lionel Messi as the greatest athlete of all time despite his lack of height and size, though the YouTube star does believe Muhammad Ali to be the most impactful.

"Hard to admit as an American... but Messi may be the greatest athlete ever. 5'7, 148 lbs... Greatest non-penalty scorer of all time, greatest assister of all time. In a sport that has more people playing it than any other. GAOAT [greatest athlete of all time]. Agree? Muhammad Ali [is] still the most impactful though."

Muhammad Ali stopped competing in boxing back in 1981 and is remembered to this day as one of the most recognizable faces in the history of boxing. Not only did spectators want to tune in for his brilliance in the boxing ring, but his ability to captivate millions when speaking on the mic was second to none.

Lionel Messi not only led his team to the World Cup final but also managed to score twice against former world champions France to secure the trophy for his country on penalties in a potential fairytale ending to his international career.


Jake Paul's boxing legacy

While he has only been boxing professionally for two years, Jake Paul has already taken the sport by storm and has become one of the most talked about athletes competing in the squared circle.

Just six fights into his career, 'The Problem Child' has beaten a fellow influencer, a former NBA star, and three former MMA champions. His most notable win came in his last outing when he overcame the threat of the Brazilian legend and long-reigning UFC champion Anderson Silva.

Despite facing a lack of professional boxers, Jake has been pushing for a matchup with both Tommy Fury and Hasim Rahman Jr., two contenders who would be fantastic additions to his record.

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