Jake Paul wanted Ben Askren to sign a contract which handed him a $100,000 fine if he used MMA moves during their boxing clash.
Paul has now fought five times as a professional and is set to do battle with UFC legend Anderson Silva in his sixth bout on Saturday night. It has been an unorthodox route in the boxing world for Paul who began with a victory over fellow YouTuber AnEson Gib before defeating ex-basketball player Nate Robinson.
He then stepped up the competition in April last year by knocking out retired Askren in one round, who had already hung up his gloves and been asked to take part in one last fight. The former three-fight UFC star has now claimed the promoter of the event, Triller, had requested the addition of the clause to make the YouTube star feel secure about the contest.
“He said Triller is worried you’re gonna do some MMA moves,” he explained during an interview with Fight Hub TV when questioned about the contract for his fight with Paul. “I said, okay, and, I’m not but whatever. And he’s said well so, how about you sign a contract that you’ll get fined $100,000 for every time you do an MMA move?
"I said, well I already signed a contract, why would I do that, that sounds stupid. And he’s like, Well, come on it would make Jake feel good, and Triller really wants it. I mean the math that people don’t do on this one because most people are too stupid. If I beat up Jake, Paul, you realise I can do whatever I want right?
"If I want to go fight his brother, if I want to box someone else, a box someone else, like I’m going to make so much more money, right? If I beat him up. So the notion that I would take money to not beat him up. It’s preposterous."
Do you think Jake Paul will beat Anderson Silva this weekend? Let us know in the comments section below
The fight ended in a statement KO from Paul which went viral on social media and summed up the final stages of his rival's career having already retired after back-to-back UFC defeats. Paul has since gone from strength-to-strength beating former UFC champion Tyron Woodley twice before accepting a new challenge with Silva.
However he has also consistently faced allegations that he has inserted 'no knockout' clauses in his contracts with opponents. But Paul promptly denied the allegations, responding: “Look, it’s a bunch of losers trying to make s*** up to get in the headlines.
"And to get reporters to ask about that exact question and put their name into the mix so they can get a little bit of clout. Having a ‘no knockout clause’ in a contract – I’ve never heard of that. It’s highly illegal, I would be in jail. That’s like rigging a fight. I would be in prison if that was a real thing."
