JAKE PAUL will fight former UFC star Ben Askren in a boxing ring on April 17.
The YouTuber has spent months calling out Conor McGregor – but the Irishman’s defeat to Dustin Poirier at the weekend saw Paul change his focus.
Now the brash 24-year-old American will lace up the boxing gloves for his second pro fight.
In the opposite corner will be Askren, a former Bellator and ONE Welterweight Champion before joining UFC.
It will be Askren’s first pro boxing fight.
The clash will be the headliner for Triller’s next offering in the US – with a venue still to be decided.
The company of course hosted Mike Tyson’s spectacular return to boxing when he drew with Roy Jones Jr in December.
Paul, who downgraded his $50million offer to Conor McGregor to ‘$10,000 cash’ folling the Poirier defeat, posted the news on his Twitter account.
He released a lengthy statement in which he promised to knock Askren out in the first round and ‘add him to the meme collection’.
Speaking to ESPN about the fight, Askren said: “I know Jake Paul is enjoying pretending he is a fighter.
It’s official
. April 17th. @triller Fight Club. pic.twitter.com/eYcaTOJhlt
— Jake Paul (@jakepaul) January 26, 2021
“I think on April 17 he is going to have a rude awakening to what being a fighter is really like.
“Jake has led a privileged life and doesn’t really know what the meaning of being a fighter is.
I’m going to put his dreams to an end.”
The 36-year-old has an MMA record of 19 wins and just two defeats.
The losses came against Jorge Masvidal and last time out against Demian Maia in October 2019 in UFC.
