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Jake Paul knocked Ben Askren out in the first round of their much-hyped Triller Fight Club boxing match.
Walking in with his robot mascot in tow, Jake Paul looked all pumped up and energetic, in contrast to Ben Askren's calm and smiling demeanor. It was clear that Jake Paul was going to go offensive from the get-go, and that is exactly what he did.
Paul nearly sprinted to the center of the ring as the match started, landing two back-to-back jabs. Askren went for an overhand right and then tried to go in for a clinch, only to be separated by the referee.
A massive right hand next from Jake Paul dropped Ben Askren straight to the ground. 'Funky' beat the count and stood up on his feet, but kept staggering. The referee took a few seconds before stopping the fight in Jake Paul's favor.
Watch the knockout video below:
Paul was quite visibly emotional after the win, which goes on to show how much the fight meant to him. Ben Askren is a longtime professional athlete who has been an Olympian, a national and Pan American champion, a two-time NCAA champion, a UFC veteran, and a welterweight titleholder in Bellator and ONE Championship promotions.
For Jake Paul, however, this was only his third professional outing. He emerged victorious in his last two fights as well, first against fellow YouTuber AnEsonGib and then against former basketball player Nate Robinson.
Jake Paul vs Ben Askren: Buildup to the fight
The fight between Ben Askren and Jake Paul was a long time in the making. After beating ex-NBA player Nate Robinson in the undercard of November's Mike Tyson vs Roy Jones Jr., Jake Paul had called Ben Askren out along with Conor McGregor.
There is no doubt that a McGregor fight would have been the first choice for Jake Paul, both monetarily and in terms of popularity. However, Conor McGregor did not pay too much heed to Jake Paul's constant trashtalking on the internet and focused on his own rivalry with Dustin Poirier.
Jake Paul therefore settled with Ben Askren. Many said it was the best bargain for the YouTuber-turned-boxer, since Ben Askren was from a wrestling background and was not known for his striking prowess. The notion turned out to be right, as Paul has now secured his first victory over a fighter with background in combat sports.
