Jake Paul has taken the boxing world by storm, and he has now been named Sports Illustrated Breakout Boxer of the Year.
Paul made his pro debut in 2020 where he scored a first-round TKO over fellow YouTuber, AnEsonGib. He followed that up with a vicious knockout win over Nate Robinson in November, but in 2021, he had a phenomenal year.
Paul headlined a Triller Fight Club pay-per-view against Ben Askren, where he scored a first-round knockout. After the fight, he signed with Showtime boxing and fought former UFC champion, Tyron Woodley, in August in the main event of a pay-per-view card where he edged out a split decision. Although going 2-0 in the year is good for many boxers, Paul fought one more time as he rematched Woodley in December and scored a violent sixth-round KO.
Now, after going 3-0 in 2021 and being a big name in boxing, Sports Illustrated named him their Breakout Boxer of the Year, which Paul is blown away by.
“Today I’m overwhelmed with many emotions and a deep feeling of gratitude. Less than 2 years ago I made my professional debut after having 1 amateur fight that lasted 5 rounds and now today, I won Sports Illustrated Breakout Boxer of the Year. Wow,” Paul wrote on social media. “I got into boxing because I needed a new calling in life and in the process I fell in love with this amazing sport and decided to dedicate my entire life to it. I saw a ton of room for innovation and had a vision of being able to change this sport forever. People laughed in my face and talked s*** in every gym I went to. They told me I couldn’t become a real boxer because I was a “YouTuber” and that nobody would take me seriously. I laughed right back.”
Right now, Jake Paul does not have his next fight booked but he mentioned he wants some time off and will likely return in the summer. When he does, it will no doubt be another big fight as Paul looks to continue his success in boxing.
What do you make of Jake Paul winning SI’s Breakout Boxer of the Year?
