Jake Paul scores 1st-round KO against little-known opponent Andre August
Jake Paul has his first win against a person that could primarily be called a boxer.
The YouTube star scored a first-round knockout against little-known Houston boxer Andre August on Friday, improving his career record to 8-1. It was the 26-year-old's first finish since his sixth-round KO of Tyron Woodley in December 2021, four fights ago.
Paul scored the win with an impressive uppercut.
JAKE PAUL WITH THE KO ON ANDRE AUGUST IN THE FIRST ROUND 🤯
(via @DAZNBoxing)
pic.twitter.com/vHRIxpmOrC— Yahoo Sports (@YahooSports) December 16, 2023
Paul's list of opponents defeated now consists of four mixed martial artists, one former NBA player, one YouTuber and, now, a boxer. Paul's previous fight against an actual boxer represents his lone loss, a split-decision defeat against Tommy Fury.
The 35-year-old August entered the match with a career record of 10-1-1, which was basically the reason Paul chose to fight him despite a lack of name recognition. Paul told USA Today before the fight he had heard the call-outs of "Fight a real boxer," but still criticized his opponent's footwork and predicted he wouldn't land a punch.
That number didn't quite bear out, but it was close. Paul out-landed August 8-6 in their only round of fighting, per Compubox. It was August's second fight in four years, having previously returned to the ring in August after not fighting since 2019.
Paul called the win a stepping stone to a shot at a championship belt:
“I said first-round knockout all week. I manifested this. This is the power of manifestation,” Paul said. “I said I needed to bring back the old ‘Problem Child.’ I’ve been too nice with these people, letting them go into the later rounds. I set up my shot and he went night-night.”
Paul added: “I don’t know what I proved tonight. I’m just gonna do me. This is part of the process, the next step to world champion. Clearly, these guys can’t hang with me. He’s been doing this his whole entire life. What’s next? It’s gonna be even bigger.”
As with any win, the question is where Paul wants to take his nearly 4-year-old boxing career. Paul apparently has an opponent already planned, as he said after the match he would make an announcement next week.
