There arenโt many times in life where youโre offered a second chance to correct a previous mistake; be it the long-lost love that got away, or the audition you bombed that couldโve completely changed your life. But after embarrassing our ancestors by losing a boxing match to serial idiot Jake Paul back in August, Tyron Woodley begged, pleaded, and even got a tattoo in order to earn the right to avenge his humiliating defeat. Yet somehow, when the 39-year-old finally got his rematch on Saturday nightโwith an added incentive in the form of a $500,000 bonus if he knocked out his opponentโthis happened in the sixth round:
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โLook at what I just did,โ Paul said after he finished reading Woodley a bedtime story. โLook at the year I just had. Unprecedented. One of the most valuable boxers in this sport. Four fights. Four massive pay-per-views in 13 months. Iโve knocked out every single person that Iโve fought.โ
I mean, he ainโt lying. But imagine having โto wake up after some idiot YouTuber knocked me outโ on your Christmas list. This ainโt what Jesus died for.
โWhen I came into this, I had a lot to prove,โ Paul said. โPeople didnโt understand me. They didnโt understand my movement. They thought I was just making a mockery of the sport. And now people really see what Iโm doing. They respect me, they respect my work, they respect the business side of it.โ
To that end, while the 24-year-old has been laying more hands than an altar call, heโs also been killing it on the business side. Upon further review, youโll notice that his own company, Most Valuable Promotions, has been promoting his fights and that heโs offering the type of lucrative paydays that fighters wouldnโt see otherwise. Heโs also brought plenty of attention to a sport that has seen waning popularity in recent years, and while you can say what you want about who he chooses to fightโa common critique is that he cherry-picks opponents who have minimal boxing experience or are half his sizeโheโs still putting hands on accomplished athletes. Whenโs the last time you whooped former Bellator MMA and ONE welterweight champ Ben Askren in the ring? Or a five-time UFC champ in Woodley?
โAt some point,โ Woodley admitted. โYouโve got to start putting some respect on Jakeโs name.โ
I mean, shit. I ainโt ready to go that far yet since this is still the same dude who thinks snatching hats off a grown-ass man is a badge of honor, but heโs trending in the right direction until somebody finally detaches his jaw from his face and proves otherwise.
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