Beterbiev offers Jake Paul Title Shot: Is it a joke?

Undisputed light heavyweight champion Artur Beterbiev offers YouTuber boxer Jake Paul a free title to his four belts at 175 following Jake’s victory over 58-year-old former heavyweight champion Mike Tyson on Friday tonight at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas.

Beterbiev (21-0, 20 KOs) said he wants to see what Paul (11-0, 7 KOs) “can do in the ring.” What is not clear is whether Beterbiev is just joking to take advantage of the attention that the 27-year-old Jake received for beating an old and washed-up Tyson (50-7, 44 KOs) by a wide unanimous decision of eight round.

Tyson was over the hill when he retired 19 years ago in 2005, but he was a shell last night of the then 38-year-old who lost to Kevin McBride in his final career fight before the level match of last night’s circus. against the influencer Jake. The version of Tyson who lost to McBride would have destroyed the bridge with Jake. He would have finished in the first round, but he is not that fighter now.

Beterbiev, 39, is expected to fight a rematch against former WBA lightweight champion Dmitry Bivol after he was beaten by a controversial 12-round majority decision last month on October 12 in Riyadh. The Saudis want the rematch, but maybe they are interested in financing a match between the unproven Jake Paul challenging Beterbiev for his belts?

It’s a fight that will likely sell on PPV because of Jake’s whopping 26 million Instagram followers and over 20 million YouTube subscribers. It is a huge amount of people that the magician marketer Jake can promote the fight with Beterbiev. It doesn’t matter that these aren’t boxing fans and wouldn’t know it’s a farce. They will always be interested in seeing the fight, and they will gladly pay, I believe that Jake has a chance.

From the real boxing side. If Beterbiev is serious, it would be an insult to the sport, making a joke of him choosing to fight an influencer who is more of a boxer than a real boxer. Plus, it would be 100% unfair to contenders who are waiting for their legitimate title shot against Beterbiev, like Bivol and Joshua Buatsi.