Outside Ring Problems Proving a Pain for Jake Paul
Jake Paul has been left without an opponent for the second time this year after his fight with Hasim Rahman Jr. was cancelled. On this occasion, the fight was cancelled due to Rahman Jr. not being able to make the weight required.
This latest news will prove very frustrating for Paul, as he was also set to face Tommy Fury, but that fight couldn’t take place due to the British boxer encountering travel problems to the USA.
Paul and his team now need to look for a new opponent for his return to the ring. The former YouTuber/online personality is currently 5-0 in the ring. Historically, he has had wins over the likes of AnEsonGib, Nate Robinson, Ben Askren and Tyron Woodley (twice).
This is not the first time a boxer has been left frustrated at the end of a training campaign with no scheduled fight or a late replacement. Here is a look at some of those cases and what impact they had on a fight.
Late opponent Proved an Issue for Joshua
One of the most recent cases where a late change had an impact on a high-profile boxer’s career came in 2019. Anthony Joshua was set to make his US debut against Jarrell Miller, but the American tested positive for a banned substance, which meant he had to withdraw.
Joshua’s promoter Eddie Hearn was forced to find his boxer a replacement and Ruiz Jr was named as that man with just one month to go. The then WBA (Super), IBF and WBO Heavyweight Champion lost the eventual fight, as he was stopped in the seventh round by Ruiz Jr in New York.
Although Joshua did not use the change in opponent as an excuse, it clearly had an impact. He was preparing for a completely different challenge in Miller, and he only had a month to work on a game plan for Ruiz Jr.
The experience of this defeat may make Joshua think again about fighting a late replacement in the future. He has the chance to get his career back on track when he faces Oleksandr Usyk in a rematch in September. The British boxer was the favourite in the betting to beat the former undisputed world champion at the back end of 2021, but he was on the wrong side of all three judges’ scorecards.
According to the outright online sports betting markets, Joshua is currently priced at odds of +163 for the rematch in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia with BetMGM, one of the best online sportsbooks in the USA. Those who watched the first fight will have a good idea as to how they feel this bout will go. Some will feel Joshua can make the adjustments needed to reverse the result, while others will be expecting the same outcome.
Usyk, who remains unbeaten as a professional, is odds-on at -225 in the betting to prevail again. Defeat for Joshua would push him down the pecking order when it comes to another world title shot.
Fury Has Not to Allow Outside Distractions to Go Against Him
One man who seems unfazed by outside distractions is WBC Heavyweight Champion, Tyson Fury. If Paul can take anything from the unbeaten heavyweight boxer, it is to focus on the things he can control in the sport.
Fury has had numerous boxers pull out of a fight close to the event. He has also had to overcome other issues, which he has been outspoken about throughout his sensational career.
The Gypsy King came back from almost three years outside of the ring to become a world champion for a second time. He beat Deontay Wilder in October 2021 and has since defended his crown against the Bronze Bomber and Dillian Whyte.
Fury briefly went into retirement but has returned to the sport as he bids to become the undisputed heavyweight champion of the world, something nobody has achieved in the WBA-WBC-IBF-WBO era.
Paul won’t be the last boxer to be impacted by an opponent missing a fight. He will be hoping for a change in luck when his next assignment is announced.