As a bleach-blond teenager growing up in northeast Ohio, Logan Paul always had direction. Everything Paul did—from his social media start on Vine to his eventual migration to YouTube, where he built a community of more than 20 million subscribers—was for a singular purpose. “A stepping stone,” Paul says, “to become one of the biggest entertainers in the world.” And for his brother, Jake, a fellow Vine-turned-YouTuber with a comparable following? “Truthfully,” says Logan, “I don’t know what Jake’s intention was.”
Boxing, ultimately. Over the past 3½ years Jake Paul has emerged as one of boxing’s most marketable fighters, collecting wins—and hefty paychecks—over aging former MMA stars. A decision defeat to Tommy Fury—the first “real” fighter on Jake’s résumé—handed him his first loss but didn’t deter him. On Saturday, Paul returns to the (semi)retired MMA fighter circuit when he takes on Nate Diaz, the popular former UFC star.
Recently Logan, now a rising WWE star, sat down with Sports Illustrated to discuss Jake’s beginnings, his interest in boxing and just how serious his brother is about cleaning up the sport.
