On Friday night, for the first time in his professional boxing career, Jake Paul took on an opponent who was not a big name from the world of other sports, entertainment or mixed martial arts when he faced unheralded boxer Andre August in Orlando. Paul did what was expected of him in the bout, scoring a first-round knockout with a crushing uppercut.
August entered the fight with a 10-1-1 record as a professional boxer, though only one of those fights came in the past four years. He wasn't an exciting opponent on paper, though he wasn't an unusual level of opponent for a fighter in their ninth professional bout, as was the case for Paul.
Paul quickly got to work with his jab, using that tool to set up body shots and overhand rights. The jab set-up paid off quickly as he followed the straight left with a right uppercut that clipped August on the chin and sent him crashing to the canvas. August could not beat the referee's count and stumbled badly into the ropes when he stood after the referee had waved off the fight at the 2:32 mark of Round 1.
"I said first-round knockout all week," Paul said after the fight. "I manifested this. This is the power of manifestation. I said I needed to bring back the old 'Problem Child,' I've been too nice to these guys letting them go to the later rounds. ... I don't know what I proved tonight, you know. I'm just going to do me. This is part of the process, the next step to becoming world champion. ... All I wanted to do was give y'all a knockout for Christmas."
Paul said he'd have an announcement on the next step of his career in the coming week but refused to provide any specific details.
"More boxing prospects," Paul said. "More experience. More time in the ring under the bright lights. If the big money fights come, I've got smoke for them too."
Paul is now 8-1 in his career and picked up his second consecutive win since dropping a narrow split decision to Tommy Fury. The knockout was his first stoppage win since his rematch with Tyron Woodley, a stretch of three fights, after four knockouts in his first five professional fights.
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The undercard saw a new champion crowned as Franchon Crews-Dezurn outpointed Shadasia Green to claim the WBC super middleweight title. The win could set up a rematch with Savannah Marshall, who also narrowly outpointed Crews-Dezurn in July to become undisputed champion in the division. Plus, Yoenis Tellez delivered a late contender for knockout of the year with his brutal stoppage of Livan Navarro in the 10th round.
CBS Sports was with you all night with live results and highlights below.
Fight card, results
- Jake Paul def. Andre August via first-round KO
- Franchon Crews-Dezurn def. Shadasia Green via unanimous decision (98-92, 97-93, 97-93)
- Yoenis Tellez def. Livan Navarro via 10th-round KO
- Lorenzo Medina def. Joshua Temple via sixth-round TKO