Tyron Woodley admits something surprising about Jake Paul after saying he’s a bit crazy
Jake Paul has earned some respect from Tyron Woodley, even though he beat the former UFC welterweight champ twice.
Jake first got famous by posting viral videos on social media and YouTube. Over the last six years, he’s become a big name in boxing and changed the sport in some ways. Known as ‘The Problem Child,’ Jake has fought some huge names like Mike Tyson and Anthony Joshua. In fact, AJ knocked him out in the sixth round last December, breaking Jake’s jaw in two places. He needed surgery and took seven months to recover and think about his future.
At one point, Jake thought about quitting fighting, but he quickly stopped those rumors when his company, Most Valuable Promotions (MVP), merged with the Professional Fighters League (PFL). This big move led to Jake announcing he’ll try MMA in 2027, even calling out Nate Diaz, whom he beat in a boxing match in 2023.
Jake was already on PFL’s roster but hadn’t fought in MMA yet. Now, fans are excited to see him step into the octagon for the first time. While some people don’t like him, Jake has definitely made a big impact on boxing. He has a strong record with 12 wins out of 14 fights, even though some wins were against less-known fighters.
Tyron Woodley has felt Jake’s power firsthand. Tyron lost to Jake in August 2021 by split decision, then lost again four months later when he stepped in for Tommy Fury. Jake was clearly better in both fights, but Tyron gives him credit, saying fighting Jake helped his boxing career.
“I say this humbly, but I never fought Jake Paul. He fought me,” Tyron told GIVEMESPORT. “I was the first person that gave him credibility. I’m a five-time world champ, and people saw Jake as just a YouTube guy. I gave him respect and trained hard, but I came up short. You can’t make mistakes in boxing, and sometimes I did.”
Tyron didn’t find as much success in boxing as Jake, but he still praised Jake’s skills and said he’s got a bit of a wild side.
“Jake is an athlete with a screw loose,” Tyron said. “He’s got power and fights big-name opponents. He’s in a win-win situation because even if he loses, it’s to top fighters like me, Ben Askren, Nate Diaz, Anderson Silva, or Anthony Joshua. The only fight he lost to someone easier on paper was Tommy Fury. Tommy had power but no real punch.
“Any fighter stepping up to tougher competition usually gets better, and Jake shows that. You’ve got to call him a fighter.”
Tyron is currently focused on freestyle wrestling and will take on UFC stars Joaquin Buckley and Khamzat Chimaev in big matches soon. He’s retired from professional MMA but is still very active in combat sports.