Tickets for Jake Paul's upcoming fight fail to sell out despite venue having just 3K capacity
YouTuber and boxer Jake Paul is set to return to the squared circle. While Paul previously sold out large venues such as the Diriyah Arena in Saudi Arabia and the American Airlines Center in the US, his upcoming fight's ticket sales have reportedly been less than desirable.
'The Problem Child' is booked to face Andre August in a boxing match that'll headline the Most Valuable Prospects IV event. It'll be yet another notable venture of Paul's MVP (Most Valuable Promotions). Besides, Paul's aforementioned match would be different as compared to his previous ones, as it won't air on pay-per-view and would take place in a much smaller venue.
The consensus is that given the relatively unknown Andre August's lack of star power, Jake Paul and his team decided to refrain from presenting the bout on PPV. The fight card will be streamed on DAZN.
Furthermore, it's believed that Paul has chosen August as his opponent and avoided going the PPV route with this bout because the internet celebrity intends to steadily build up his boxing resume. The 26-year-old is said to be aiming to acquire more experience against full-time boxers rather than simply fighting big-name former/current MMA fighters in high-profile events.
All things considered, certain sections of the combat sports world have suggested that the Paul-August showdown has failed to generate the buzz that the YouTuber's fights did in the past. According to TSN's Aaron Bronsteter, tickets for the fight have been on sale for about eight days, but only half of them have been sold thus far.
For context, the Paul-August boxing match is set to headline the Most Valuable Prospects IV event at the Caribe Royale Resort in Orlando, Florida, USA, on December 15, 2023. The venue could hold around 3,000 people. As indicated by Aaron Bronsteter, Paul has been unable to sell out the small venue thus far. Bronsteter tweeted:
"Tickets for Jake Paul's boxing match against Andre August have been on sale for eight days and look to be about half sold in a venue that holds roughly 3,000."
Jake Paul vs. Andre August: 'The Problem Child' addresses the "biggest challenge" of his career
The 35-year-old Andre August boasts a 10-1-1 professional boxing record. He's fresh off a unanimous decision victory over Brandon Martin in August 2023. While August isn't viewed as a top-tier boxer in the professional ranks, he's believed to be a more skilled pugilist than some of the MMA fighters that Jake Paul has boxed.
Jake Paul, for his part, has amassed a professional boxing record of 7-1, with his lone defeat coming via split decision against undefeated boxer Tommy Fury in February 2023. 'The Problem Child' has often expressed interest in avenging his loss against Fury.
Nevertheless, he's currently focused on beating Andre August. Regarding his clash against August, Paul recently implied that it's a risky fight for him. The aspiring MMA fighter tweeted:
"Biggest challenge of my career. Most risk. Little immediate gain. Lots of long term progress."