Tag Archives: Jake

Posted on 12/27/2019

By: Sean Crose

“The rumored grudge match between YouTube stars Jake ‘The Problem Child’ Paul andAnEsonGib is finally official,” Matchroom Boxing announced this week via press release, “and will take center stage as the co-main event of a huge night of boxing on Thursday January 30at the Meridian at Island Gardens in Miami, and streamed live exclusively on DAZN in the United States and on Sky Sports in the UK.” And so it is that another high profile, YouTube centric event is making its way to the boxing ring.

Although many purists were upset by the kind of publicity this year’s second Logan Paul-KSI rematch brought to the sport, that bout was clearly successful enough for people like promoter Eddie Hearn to feel more matches of its ilk are warranted. 
Matchroom reports that Paul, brother of Logan Paul, “is passionate about conquering professional boxing and has his sights set on avenging his brother’s loss against KSI in 2020.” The 22 year old is also reportedly “the most viewed internet star in the United States with more than 36 million followers across YouTube, Instagram, TikTok and Twitter.” Matchroom adds that “in addition to his (Paul’s) huge success as a content creator on social media, the Ohio native, who now calls California home, has flourished as a musician and actor in recent years.” 

As for Gib, as AnEsonGib is reportedly called, Matchroom claims the 23 year old “rose to popularity through video gaming, most particularly as a standout FIFA player.” The promotional company adds Gib “is a member of the famous gaming crew The Sidemen in the U.K., his home country, which also features KSI.” Apparently those who are “in the know” won’t be surprised by a Paul-Gib fight. Matchroom states that “Gib…has been linked to a fight with Jake Paul for many months as the two men exchanged words often throughout the KSI vs. Logan Paul 2 promotion. Gib has fought two amateur bouts in the U.K. and will also make his professional debut.” 

Both men clearly seem eager for the upcoming fight. “Coming into the sport of boxing as an undefeated champion amongst my peers, it’s my duty to set the bar as high as possible for others looking to cross over into the sport,” Paul is quotes as saying. “This is more than a fight to me, it’s a chance to show the world that anyone with a dream, vision, and the right work ethic, can overcome adversity and shine on the brightest stage. This bout has deep roots; it’s a fight for my brother’s honor, my pride and most importantly my loyal fans who are among the best in the world. This is the American dream. Thursday, January 30, on DAZN, my opponent’s 15 minutes of fame turn into 10 seconds of counting stars as he lays unconscious on the canvas. And then, I’m coming for that wanker KSI.” 

In the press release, Gib accuses his opponent of having been unwilling to meet him in the ring until now. “After six months of Jakey ducking, the fight is finally going down,” Gib claims. “He had no choice of his opponent, I chose him. Since my last fight I have been training nonstop and January 30 in Miami, I will end the fight in devastating fashion and will have my hand raised in front of his country, family and friends. Jake Paul is going to be my walking, talking ad for the rest of his days.” 

The Jake Paul – AnEsonGib bout will be the com-main event of the Demetrius Andrade – Luke Keeler WBO middleweight title card. If both men show the dedication Logan Paul and KSI did in the ring this year, the fight might at the very least be entertaining. 

Posted on 04/04/2019

By: Donna Jo

To rise to the top of the boxing world, an athlete must be intelligent, physically fit, dedicated, aware, and, as many former champs have attested to, a little bit lucky. Because so much is demanded of boxers—because there’s always a younger, hungrier, and more skillful opponent on the horizon—some high-level competitors fly under the radar; that is, their accomplishments and capabilities are overlooked as a result of the sport’s breakneck speed.

Today’s starts soak up the entirety of the spotlight, while yesterday’s stars don’t usually receive much respect.

Let’s take a quick look at three of the most underrated boxers of all time—boxers who recorded magnificent achievements and made their mark, but who don’t necessarily receive their due from contemporary pundits.

Jake LaMotta

Jake “The Bronx Bull” LaMotta was the subject of Martin Scorsese’s famed Raging Bull film, and in many ways, his out-of-ring pursuits overshadowed his boxing achievements. Consequently, LaMotta is remembered today as something of a media figure.

He was a media figure, to be sure, but there’s no denying that LaMotta was also a legendary practitioner of the sweet science. The New York native channeled his aggression and troublesome personal habits into training, and with the help of his brother and an unrelenting will, he became one of the most notable boxers of Forties and Fifties.

LaMotta wasn’t knocked down or stopped with strikes until the twilight of his career; he fought Sugar Ray Robinson six times, in what was one of the most fantastic rivalries in boxing; and he gave a number of skillful opponents a very, very hard time in the ring.

Take a quick trip to YouTube to see LaMotta’s refusal to quit in action.

George Foreman

There’s a lot more to George Foreman’s achievements than his multi-million-dollar grills.

Throughout his 28-year boxing career—which spanned from the time he was 20 until he was nearly 49—Foreman was finished just once, by none other than Muhammad Ali, who also happened to snap Foreman’s 40-0 professional record. 68 of Foreman’s 76 wins came via knockout, and overall, he lost just five matches—roughly six percent of the fights he accepted throughout three decades!

The quality of Foreman’s career is further amplified by the fact that he made a successful comeback, which came when he was nearing 50 years of age. At 47 (almost 48) years old, Foreman topped Crawford Grimsley for the WBU and IBA heavyweight titles—Grimsley, a 23-year-old star who hadn’t been defeated! In short, comebacks like this almost never happen in the “real world”–or in the movies!

It can safely be stated that George Foreman, even in his ripe old age, can safely dispatch younger opponents; the man doesn’t need a bodyguard, a home security system, or any other type of protection. He’s got it under control!

Evander Holyfield

Evander Holyfield has had his share of ups and downs in and out of the ring, but taken as a whole, his boxing career is terribly underrated.

Most people remember when Mike Tyson infamously bit Holyfield’s ear, but few remember when Holyfield defeated Tyson via TKO in their first fight, which came at a time when Tyson was viciously dominating the competition. The same is true of Holyfield’s one-in-a-million bout against George Foreman. Similarly, Holyfield’s riveting series with John Ruiz isn’t often mentioned, nor is the fact that Holyfield managed to do what so many of history’s greatest boxers were unable to: retire on a win.

Hopefully this list provides some newer boxing fans with the information and foundation they need to learn about the sport’s most underrated competitors. Boxing’s history is rich, and in between today’s many exciting matches, viewers should flip on the computer and relive the many exhilarating contests that the twentieth century brought with it.

Thanks for reading, and here’s to the magic and appeal of the sweet science!

Posted on 09/21/2017

By: Sean Crose

Legendary middleweight champion Jake LaMotta has died, leaving a long and memorable legacy upon exiting this world at 95 years of age. Growing up tough in the Bronx (his father reportedly forced him to fight other children so the family could have extra income) LaMotta grew to become one of the most iconic fighters of an iconic era (the 40s through the 50s). One simply doesn’t beat a 40-Ray Robinson without getting some much deserved credit after all. Yet the man known far and wide as “The Raging Bull” (he was also called “The Bronx Bull”) will be remembered for a variety of reasons as time moves on.

First and foremost, there’s the fact that LaMotta could fight. Really fight. Don’t let that single victory against Robinson sway your opinion. LaMotta fought many of the top fighters of his era aside from Robinson, such as Fritzie Zivic and Marcel Cerdan, who he lifted the middleweight title from (Cerdan was unable to meet LaMotta for a rematch because he tragically died in a plane crash before he could face his victor a second time).

What was most memorable about LaMotta in the ring, however, was the brutal style the man chose for himself. Never a slickster or power puncher, the guy would literally take a ton of punishment in order to pull out the win. Not that LaMotta was just some unpolished bruiser. The fighter had skill, as well, enough to keep some of the assaults he took from his opposition from doing more damage than they actually could have. Ultimately, however, LaMotta was the picture of aggression and sheer determination when he was in the ring. He once credited his style with being borne of frustration, as LaMotta reputedly wouldn’t allow himself to have sex before a fight. Whether this assertion was true or not is ultimately irrelevant, however, in the face of the fighter’s incredible bravado.

Yet LaMotta will also be remembered for having a large degree of shadinesss thrown into to his story – at least during the earlier parts of it. He had spent time in a reform school, after all. He also wasn’t much of a role model as an adult, throwing a fight for the mob, going through six marriages and having a history of spousal abuse. To LaMotta’s credit, though, the fighter grew remorseful with age, admitting he had been “a no-good bastard” in his younger years. Bad behavior, it should be noted, doesn’t always bring about remorse, nor does it often bring about a public admission of guilt.

Which, of course, leads to the famed Martin Scorcese film which was – on the most basic level, at least – based on LaMotta’s own life. Buoyed by Robert DeNiro’s classic performance (in which he literally went from fighting shape to overweight in the course of making the film), “Raging Bull” the movie is an intense study of jealousy, brutality and one man’s slow self awareness. And, as far as public consciousness goes, it elevated it’s subject from a famed boxer to memorable figure in the culture at large…something LaMotta remained until his death in Miami on Tuesday, and will most likely remain for years to come.