Joe Rogan says Jake Paul would be taken more seriously if he was not a YouTuber - "It's like a weapon that they use"

Joe Rogan feels that Jake Paul's YouTube past often veils his true ability as a professional boxer in the eyes of many in the combat sports community.

The veteran UFC color commentator claimed Paul is a good boxer but isn't taken seriously enough because of his prior focus on video-making on the popular YouTube platform.

Citing the example of Paul's emphatic knockout win over former UFC welterweight champion Tyron Woodley in their rematch, Rogan said that had it been an up-and-coming boxing prospect instead of 'The Problem Child', fans would rate him highly. However, Rogan thinks Paul's gimmick and past are the reasons why he isn't taken seriously despite his 5-0 undefeated boxing record.

Rogan also thinks that Paul is comfortable with the tag of being a 'YouTube kid' and not being taken seriously because it alleviates the pressure of expectations. Not only that, it also leads to his opponents underestimating him prior to fights and then being taken aback when they find out he can box pretty well when they share the ring.

During an appearance on the Hotboxin' with Mike Tyson podcast, Rogan said:

"The one when he knocked out Tyron Woodley, that's a very real punch, but the point is, if he was just a regular contender and he did that to Tyron Woodley, everybody would be freaking out [saying], 'This kid is something special' and it's just because of the fact, it's like a weapon that they use, that they're YouTube kids, cause like, you don't take it seriously."

Watch the podcast below:

---

Joe Rogan explains why people would want to see Jake Paul vs. Mike Tyson

Joe Rogan believes Jake Paul vs. Mike Tyson would make for a blockbuster boxing match that would attract a huge number of eyeballs across the globe.

During the aforementioned podcast, Rogan dropped the idea of Tyson and Paul fighting each other inside the squared circle. Despite his past reservations, Tyson seemed interested in the idea as well.

According to Rogan, it would be interesting to see how a YouTuber-turned-boxer would perform against one of the greatest heavyweights of all time. Rogan also said that most fans would tune in hoping to see Paul getting viciously knocked out by Tyson.

"That fight would be gigantic because, first of all, everybody would want to see [that fight]. A good large percentage would want to see you knock his block off, I think that'll be like most of the people buying it. No disrespect to Jake [but] this is how he sells things."

Jake Paul is expected to return to action in August this year. His next opponent is yet to be announced.