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Manchester Evening News
Manchester Evening News
Sport
Isaac Johnson

Jake Paul delivers $30m pledge to Will Smith and Chris Rock after Oscars smack

Jake Paul has offered Will Smith and Chris Rock an equal split of $30m (£27.3m) to settle their differences in the ring following their Oscars altercation.

The American - the fierce rival of Tommy Fury - said he’d give them a slot on his undercard during his next fight in August, for which an opponent has not yet been named. Paul, 25, was reacting to Smith aggressively slapping comedian Rock after making a joke about wife Jada Pinckett Smith.

Sal Vulcano, who stars in the hit US prank TV show 'Impractical Jokers', had jokingly tweeted about “how much Jake Paul is gonna offer Chris Rock and Will Smith for a boxing PPV?" The YouTuber - who has a 5-0 professional boxing record - jested back: "I got $15m for Will Smith and $15m for Chris Rock ready to go. Let’s do it in August on my undercard."

READ MORE: When is Patrice Evra boxing fight? Adam Saleh bout date, time and venue

He said later: "Someone get me on the phone with Will Smith's boxing representative asap." This isn’t the first time Paul has made such an offer to two high-profile celebrities, having previously declared he wanted to see Kanye West and Pete Davidson battle it out under the lights.

On Sunday evening, A-list celebrities and millions of others watching the Oscars awards show were left stunned when Smith, who once portrayed Muhammed Ali in a biopic, attacked Rock on stage. The comic had made a GI Jane joke about the hairstyle of Pinkett Smith, who has alopecia, while presenting the award for best documentary.

Will Smith slaps Chris Rock on stage (Rob Latour/REX/Shutterstock)

In the 1997 movie, actor Demi Moore had shaved her head for the role. Despite seemingly laughing at first, Smith quickly took exception and stormed towards the 57-year-old before slapping him.

After returning to his seat he shouted: “Keep my wife’s name out of your mouth.” An emotional Smith later apologised to “the Academy” and his “fellow nominees” while collecting the award for best actor - the first Oscar of his career - for his lead role in King Richard, where he played the father of tennis superstars Serena and Venus Williams.

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences later tweeted that it “does not condone violence of any form.” The world of combat sports reacted to the incident, including UFC boss Dana White. He tweeted: "FINALLY! there's an #Oscars show worth watching. AND Chris Rock has a chin."

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