Who is Jake Paul fighting on April 17, 2021?

Jake Paul returns to a boxing ring against retired MMA veteran Ben Askren on Friday, April 17, in Las Vegas.

Undoubtedly, fans of hard-fought sports know who Ben Askren is. However, millions – many of whom do not necessarily follow the fight scene – come in to see the show. YouTube star Jake Paul has a huge fan base that may not be just the slightest glimpse of who Ben Askren is.

Recently, Ben Askren is known for being on the brink of a brutal high-end KO against UFC superstar Jorge Masvidal. But by then, Ben Askren was considered one of the best welterweights in MMA.

Ben Askren’s retention role

In his early years, Ben Askren got his first taste of the success of fighting sports as a college goalkeeper. In 2006 and 2007, Ben Askren took control of the 174-pound weight class and won titles in the Big 12 and the NCAA.

He then competed in the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing, where he definitely won his first game through a pin. However, Ben Askren eventually lost in his 8th round, ending his hopes of winning a medal.

Golden days

In 2009, Ben Askren moved to MMA. Shortly afterwards, he won the Welter Season 2 Bellator Weight Championship by sweeping all three rounds.

Ben Askren won the Bellator welterweight title in 2010 after his comeback win against Lyman Good. Ben Askren then went on an unprotected run that was defended during his time as welterweight keeper of Championship ONE.

Stint UFC

In November 2018, it was announced that the UFC had traded Ben Askren in exchange for former UFC weightlifting champion Demetrious Johnson.

Unfortunately, it was downhill for Ben Askren ever since. He won his Octagon debut against welterweight stand Robby Lawler, but his victory was lost by a controversial stop.

Ben Askren was then knocked down by Jorge Masvidal who was hit by a flying knee strike in good time a few seconds into the fight. Ben Askren tried to free himself in 2019, when he faced Damian Maia of Brazil but ended up losing by insertion in round three. Several days later, Ben Askren announced his retirement from the sport.

Will he seek freedom against Jake Paul?

Coming into Friday’s fight against Jake Paul, fans can rest assured that Ben Askren will be hungry for a win. Will he be able to pull off a confrontation against YouTube star Jake Paul’s professional boxer?

We’ll find out soon.

Published March 27, 2021, 15:04 IST


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