YouTube star Jake Paul faces former MMA champion Ben Askren in an eight-round cruiserweight battle Saturday night at the Mercedes Benz Stadium in Atlanta, Georgia (PPV, 9 p.m. ET). The fight will headline a Triller Fight Club card that also includes a 10-round junior welterweight fight between former titlist Regis Prograis and Ivan Redkach, and the return of former cruiserweight titlist Steve Cunningham against former UFC heavyweight champion Frank Mir.
Paul (2-0, 2 KOs), 24, of Cleveland, Ohio, last fought on Nov. 28, scoring a brutal KO of former NBA star Nate Robinson in Round 2. In his professional debut, Paul defeated fellow YouTuber Ali Eson Gib in January 2020.
Last week, Paul was accused by Justine Paradise of forcing her into a sex act without consent. Paul said in an statement that those allegations are false.
Askren, 36, is a former decorated amateur wrestler and MMA standout. He won welterweight titles for both Bellator and ONE Championship. Askren also competed in the UFC, but retired in 2019 after consecutive loses to Jorge Masvidal and Demian Maia. This will be his professional boxing debut.
Follow here for live undercard results and analysis.
Still to come:
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Jake Paul vs. Ben Askren, 8 rounds, cruiserweights
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Regis Prograis vs. Ivan Redkach, 10 rounds, junior welterweights
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Steve Cunningham vs. Frank Mir, 8 rounds, heavyweights
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Joe Fournier vs. Andres Felipe Robledo Londono, 6 rounds, light heavyweights
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Junior Younan vs. Jeyson Minda, 8 rounds, super middleweights
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Quinton Randall vs. William Jackson, 8 rounds, welterweights