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Jake Paul has been very involved in the promotion of the history-making bout between Katie Taylor and Amanda Serrano this weekend, as the influencer is serving as Serrano's manager.
Serrano, who is a seven-division world champion and one of the most successful women in boxing, has credited Paul for his role in the fight. The contest will headline the biggest event ever staged in women's boxing and the first time that women have headlined at Madison Square Garden.
At a recent press conference, Jake Paul went out of his way to take a swing at Katie Taylor's Irish fanbase. He said:
"What I do have to say, for the Irish, is I feel bad for y'all because this is the start of Katie Taylor's losing streak, just like Conor McGregor!"
Taylor is beloved in Ireland due to her immense success in boxing and her role in popularizing women's boxing in the mainstream. When she returned from her 2012 Olympic victory, she was received as a hero.
When Taylor fought Serrano's sister, Cindy, in Boston in 2018, the fanbase was overwhelmingly supportive of the Irish fighter. Amanda Serrano, a Brooklyn Puerto Rican fighter, expects more support in her home city.
Jake Paul and Amanda Serrano vs. Katie Taylor
Amanda Serrano is a ground-breaking fighter. As she stated in a recent interview with Sports Illustrated:
"Never in a million years did I think we’d make this kind of money, on this kind of platform... It wasn’t even in my imagination, because none of the women were doing this. We’ve been fighting and clawing for recognition.”
Though she has supported Paul and publicly expressed much gratitude for his support, the focus on Paul in the build-up to the fight risks detracting from the seriousness of the bout, particularly as Paul has been purely involved in spectacle-type fights up to this point.
Jake Paul has been earning praise for his support of women's boxing, though Eddie Hearn, who is involved in promoting Katie Taylor, recently criticized the commendations given to the YouTuber, who was not involved until this fight. He has also criticized Paul's claim that he will become a world champion boxer.
