Jake Paul surpassed Ben Askren’s expectations.
Former Bellator and ONE Championship title holder Askren jumped into the boxing ring with Paul in April 2021, but was quickly knocked out in Round 1.
The YouTube star went on to defeat former UFC welterweight champion Tyron Woodley twice – once by knockout, which took Askren by surprise.
“No, I thought Tyron was going to beat him up,” Askren told MMA Junkie Radio.
Paul continues to take a jump up in competition as he meets ex-UFC middleweight king Anderson Silva, who has impressed in his two recent wins in the ring over Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. and Tito Ortiz. Paul faces Silva in an eight-round boxing match Saturday at Desert Diamond Arena. The main card airs at 9 p.m. ET on Showtime pay-per-view.
When asked for his prediction, the recently retired Askren didn’t show any interest in the outcome.
“We’ll see,” Askren added. “I don’t really care. I’m kind of indifferent.”
Earlier this week, Askren’s book was released. In “Funky: My Defiant Path Through the Wild World of Combat Sports,” Askren looks back on his journey from wrestling to MMA and the boxing ring. Check out Askren discussing his book and more in the video above.
For complete coverage of the card, check out MMA Junkie’s event page for Paul vs. Silva.
