Two years ago, Youtube star turned boxer Jake “The Problem Child” Paul and heavyweight prospect Hasim Rahman Jr. were involved in a heated sparring session where they had to be separated in the aftermath.
Next month, they will finally settle their difference in the ring.
On Thursday, Paul (5-0, 4 KOs) announced that he was going to face Rahman Jr. (12-1, 6 KOs) – the son of former heavyweight champion Hasim Rahman – on Saturday, August 6, from Madison Square Garden in New York City. The fight will headline a Showtime pay-per-view event.
Rahman replaces light heavyweight prospect Tommy Fury, who was pulled from the fight after being unable to enter the United States.
According to the once-beaten heavyweight, he took it easy on Paul when they sparred, but this time around he plans to hurt him bad in a sanctioned fight.
“Jake Paul and I sparred two years ago and let’s just say I took it easy on the kid,” said Rahman Jr. “August 6 is not a sparring session. I am going to separate him from God’s conscience. My name is Hasim Rahman Jr., and I am going to knock out Jake Paul. Period.”
Rahman will be the first pro boxer that Paul has ever faced. The unbeaten social media force made his pro debut in January 2020 with a knockout of Youtuber AnEsonGib. He would then get a brutal knockout of NBA star Nate Robinson, which was followed by a blowout of MMA veteran Ben Askren.
After going the distance to beat former UFC champion Tyron Woodley, Paul would score a sensational one-punch knockout in their December 2021 rematch.
Rahman, with nearly 100 amateur fights, suffered his first career defeat back in April when he was stopped in the fifth round by James Morrison, son of former heavyweight champion Tommy Morrison. Rahman had won the first four rounds on all three of the official cards before Morrison caught him in the fifth.