"Doesn't punch like a pro" - Jake Paul reacts to Ben Askren's improved striking technique at the open workouts
Jake Paul isn’t too impressed with Ben Askren’s improved striking technique from his open workout.
Tomorrow night, after months of hype, Paul and Askren will square off in a highly anticipated boxing bout under the Triller Fight Club banner. The YouTuber will take on the former mixed martial arts star, with many not really knowing what to expect from either man.
Paul already has a few impressive knockouts under his belt, but they haven’t really been at the kind of level that would indicate he can take on better opposition. On the flip side, Askren is known for being a great wrestler, but he’s also not got a great history within the striking department.
However, many were pretty impressed to see what Askren could do after witnessing his work on the mitts at the recent open workouts, although that didn’t extend to Jake Paul.
Here's what Paul had to say regarding Askren's striking at the open workout:
“I think he’s very square, has too much weight on his front foot, and doesn’t punch like a pro. He’s a mitt warrior is what it looks like, and I call them mitt warriors because they look good on the mitts and their coach has the mitt and is like, smacking their punches. The guy isn’t even punching, it’s actually the coach hitting - so, I call them mitt warriors.”
What would a loss against Ben Askren mean for Jake Paul?
Paul knows how to build himself up as a credible threat in the media. But now, the big question is whether or not he’ll be able to maintain that success inside the ring on Saturday night.
If Jake Paul wins against Ben Askren, then there’s a chance he could continue to level up in his boxing career. But if he suffers a devastating loss to Askren - who he’s openly mocked several times - then things could get a little bit tricky.
Jake's brother, Logan Paul, managed to bounce back from a defeat to KSI, but the circumstances felt quite different in that instance.
Jake knows that he’s in an incredibly high-risk situation and won’t want to do anything to jeopardize his future. Still, underestimating someone like Ben Askren feels like a mistake.
With around 36 hours to go until this highly-anticipated bout gets underway, we don’t have long to wait for some answers.