'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
The highly-anticipated matchup between Jake Paul and Hasim Rahman Jr. has been called off after the latter faced weight issues. This prompted a barrage of reactions on social media from boxing pundits and fighters.
In a tweet, Amanda Serrano, who was set to fight on the undercard of the August 6 bout at Madison Square Garden, apologized to fans, especially to those who had already bought tickets:
“I want to apologize to all you guys that have been reaching out to me asking about my fight next week because you bought tickets. Yes the show is canceled, I was super ready and on point. Will let you know what’s next. This is boxing, these things happen. So Sorry. Love you all."
Undisputed Female Light Middleweight Champion Claressa Shields also expressed disappointment over the cancelation of the fight.
For his part, MMA fighter Dillon Danis claimed that Paul’s camp “tried to pay Hasim Rahman to take a dive but they rejected it”. As a result, according to Danis, the YouTuber-turned-boxer’s team is now just making up a reason to cancel the fight.
Former pro boxer Ishe Smith pounced on the development to take a swipe at ‘The Problem Child’, saying Paul being a boxer bothers him as he noted that the sport has “spit and chewed people out, leaving them utterly brain dead.”
Boxing reporter Michelle Joy Phelps called on her followers to join her in discussing the cancelation of Paul vs. Rahman Jr.:
Why is Jake Paul vs. Hasim Rahman Jr. getting cancelled?
The Jake Paul vs. Hasim Rahman Jr. bout has been called off because of actions that the Most Valuable Promotions describes as “deceiving and calculated.”
According to MVP, Rahman did not maintain his weight in an honest fashion and requested multiple times that the bout be shifted to a heavier weight class. Both parties signed up to fight at 200 pounds.
In a video that Rahman released on his social media, he explained that he was unable to go any lower than 215 pounds. He added that he still wanted the fight to push through despite getting penalized for not making weight.
Watch Hasim Rahman Jr. explain the cancelation of the Jake Paul fight:
