Jake Paul Says ‘Shut the F–k Up’ to Critics After Andre August KO in Boxing Fight
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Jake Paul said he was “silencing the critics” with his first-round knockout of Andre August Friday in Orlando.
“Everyone who has something to say about me, ‘Oh he can’t do this, he can’t sell, he’s not big, what is he doing fighting this guy, fighting that guy’— shut the f–k up,” Paul said.
Logan Paul had a similar message to critics after watching his brother’s win.
“Stop doubting Jake Paul,” he said after the victory.
August entered the fight with a 10-1-1 record but having fought just once in the past four years.
Paul headed into his ninth professional bout with a 7-1 record, with his one loss coming to boxer Tommy Fury on points in February. He most recently beat UFC star Nate Diaz in a decision win in August.
There were still 28 seconds remaining in the first round when the bout ended with Paul’s fifth career KO.
The win marks Paul’s second fight, and first win, against a professional boxer after a series of bouts with former MMA stars.
“This is all part of the process, the next step to world champion,” Paul said after the fight. “Clearly, these guys can’t hang with me. He didn’t even last two minutes, and he’s been doing this his whole entire life.”
“So what’s next? It’s going to be even bigger.”
Both of Paul’s bouts with boxers have come with asterisks, given August’s recent absence from the ring and Fury’s 10-0 record against inexperienced fighters and YouTube influencers-turned boxers like Paul and KSI.
Still, August holds the most professional boxing experience of any opponent Paul has taken on yet. And with WBA president Gilberto Mendoza watching Paul’s uppercut from the side of the ring, per Sports Illustrated’s Chris Mannix, Friday’s fight could represent a significant step in Paul’s journey toward gaining legitimacy in the sport.
“Jake needs to be ranked in order to fight for a title,” Mannix wrote. “Don’t be surprised to see Jake pop up in the WBA’s cruiserweight rankings soon.”
Paul has repeatedly said he wants to fight for a world title, but he recently told Sean O’Malley he wants a rematch with Fury and a bout with KSI first.