Jake Paul has fired back at criticism of the rehydration clause in his fight against Hasim Rahman Jr by pointing out the same stipulation in Conor Benn's teased fight against Chris Eubank Jr.
Paul looks for his sixth professional boxing win on August 6 against short-notice replacement Rahman when the pair fight at Madison Square Garden. The YouTube star put a clause in Rahman's contract that prohibits him from weighing above 214lb at 12pm on the day of their fight.
Benn and Eubank are close to agreeing a catchweight fight at 156lb but are in disagreement over the rehydration clause. Benn has never fought above 147lb whilst Eubank has never competed below 160lb and Paul claims the former is simply protecting himself from possible injury.
What are your thoughts on Jake Paul putting a rehydration clause in Hasim Rahman Jr's contract? Let us know in the comments section below
"Conor Benn [is] dirty because he doesn’t want Chris Eubank to have a massive size advantage fight night? No…just wants a fair/safe fight. Rahman can weigh-in at any weight fight night. 200 weigh-in, 214 at noon fight-day, any weight fight night. Stop making excuses Jr," Paul tweeted accompanied by the hashtag "double standards".
Rahman, who replaced for Love Island star Tommy Fury to fight Paul, said he will be deducted 25 per cent of his fight purse for every pound he weighs in overweight. "They are that scared that they want to put that much pressure on me to make the weight to say you’re going to lose 25 percent for every pound you’re over,” he said on The MMA Hour.
Rehydration clauses are by no means new in boxing and part of Paul's decision to implement one in Rahman's contract is likely because the 31-year-old has never fought at cruiserweight before. Rahman stepped on the scale at 224lb for his last fight in April and faces a considerable weight cut to make the 200lb cruiserweight limit.
Rahman initially thought Paul reached out to him about sparring together after Fury's withdrawal. He said Paul's coach questioned him on his fight shape, only to phone back an hour later and offer him the fight. "I’m thinking they’re about to call me back and get me on a flight to Puerto Rico to help them out for Anderson [Silva]. An hour later, I get a call saying they want to fight," Rahman said before claiming he had just 45 minutes to accept the offer.
