"Sad when the boogeyman isn't feared but pitied" - When fans felt sorry for Tony Ferguson after Jake Paul rejected a possible fight against 'El Cucuy'
Months ago, Jake Paul shot down the idea that he could take part in a boxing match with Tony Ferguson. It was a departure from 'The Problem Child's' usual modus operandi, as he built his record by beating aging MMA fighters in boxing matches.
Ferguson, likely hoping for a payday, was denied. This interaction made the rounds on Reddit, where many were deflated by how far Ferguson had fallen career-wise. Once an interim UFC lightweight champion and one of the most terrifying fighters on the roster, he has become more of a meme for his unconventional nature and refusal to retire.
One user lamented how Ferguson went from being one of the world's most feared fighters to someone who now draws sympathy. They wrote:
"It's sad when the boogeyman isn't feared but pitied."
Others even praised Paul for sparing Ferguson from another embarrassing loss, preserving what is left of the latter's legacy. One user added:
"Good guy Jake"
Some pointed out that Paul may no longer fight any other declining MMA fighters, given that it does little to benefit his career at this point:
"I feel like Jake's time with washed up MMA guys is complete unless something crazy happens like Conor."
Another fan found the entire situation less than flattering for Ferguson:
"Imagine the embarrassment for Tony when Jake doesn't even want to fight you"
A collage of fan reactions can be seen below:
Ferguson is currently on an 8-fight losing streak, the longest in UFC history. It is a massive fall from grace, as he was previously considered one of the greatest lightweights of all time. Despite his rough patch, which began four years ago, Ferguson refuses to retire, even at the age of 40.
Jake Paul's history with aging MMA fighters
Jake Paul holds wins over numerous MMA fighters who were at the twilight of thei respective careers. It started off when he fought Ben Askren, knocking him out in round one. Thereafter, he faced Tyron Woodley twice, beating him via split-decision the first time, then knocking him out in round six the second time.
Check out Jake Paul's KO of Tyron Woodley:
He upped the difficulty by taking on a striker next, and welcomed the great Anderson Silva to the squared circle. Despite forcing a more competitive bout out of 'The Problem Child,' Silva was still dropped and ended up losing via unanimous decision. Afterward, 'The Problem Child' took on Tommy Fury.
Fury, a boxer who is Paul's age, became the first and thus far only fighter to beat him, as he outpointed Paul en-route to a split-decision win. Following that loss, Paul returned to his old ways, facing Nate Diaz, who he beat via unanimous decision.