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Andreas Hale, ESPN
DALLAS — Jake Paul is very cognizant of his role in his upcoming fight with Mike Tyson.
Paul, 27, will step into a boxing ring Friday in a sanctioned fight against the former world heavyweight champion and one of the most iconic sports figures of all time. If Wednesday’s news conference is any indication, it is very clear who the fan favorite is, and it is certainly not Paul.
And he is OK with that.
Paul has proved to be a polarizing figure in the sport once the former YouTuber decided to try his hand at boxing just over four years ago. He has achieved box office success and amassed a record of 10-1 with 7 KOs but has also dealt with a fair share of criticism for his opponent choices that range from fellow YouTubers to MMA fighters. Facing a 58-year-old Tyson who hasn’t competed in a professional boxing match in nearly 20 years won’t quiet the skeptics.
“I don’t care about their opinions, because I’ve seen what people cheer for,” Paul said to a room of reporters. “I kept trying to show people that I’m a good person and look at all this good I’m doing in the world. And no one was buying it. And then one day I was like, f— it. I can go heel and haven’t looked back since.”
Paul has embraced the hate and isn’t surprised by the number of people who hope to see him lose to Tyson. At the conclusion of Wednesday’s news conference, nine of the 12 undercard fighters picked Tyson to beat Paul, and “El Gallo” challenged those who picked against him to put their money where their mouth is with a friendly wager.
It’s safe to say that Paul is embracing the role of the villain.
“I kept trying to show people that I’m a good person and look at all this good I’m doing in the world. And no one was buying it. And then one day I was like, f— it. I can go heel and haven’t looked back since.” Jake Paul
“Yeah, it is exactly what I wanted and brought into my career,” Paul said. “I tell people I’m purposely pissing them off and then they still hate me, and some of them don’t realize that they’re feeding into my game. It’s great, and I don’t disagree with them. That’s why this is such a big event. It’s the ultimate hero and the ultimate heel, and that’s the perfect recipe for success.”
To further fan the flames, Paul has promised that the fight won’t go the distance.
“I fear no man,” Paul said. “I want him to be that old savage Mike. He says he’s going to kill me. I’m ready. I want that killer. I want the hardest match possible Friday night, and I want there to be no excuses from everyone at home when I knock him out.”
Source: www.espn.com