A retired fighter has vowed to become the first man to knock out Jake Paul.
The 28-year-old from Cleveland, Ohio made his professional debut back 2020 and since then has fought twelve times, initially facing MMA fighters including the likes of Anderson Silva, Tyron Woodley and Nate Diaz.
He was beaten for the first time as a professional in February 2023 when he was outpointed by British rival Tommy Fury in a cruiserweight contest in Diriyah, Saudi Arabia.
‘The Problem Child’ is now gearing up for his return to the ring which comes against former WBC middleweight champion Julio Cesar Chavez Jr, who he faces at the Honda Center in Anaheim on June 28.
After being the subject of multiple controversies throughout his tenure, Paul has been targeted by a number of active as well as retired fighters, including James ‘Lights Out’ Toney who has sent a stern message to the 28-year-old.
Speaking to ESNEWS, Toney made his feelings clear about Paul. claiming he would welcome a fight with the former YouTube sensation and hinting at comments he has made in the past about the superstar’s fights being pre-determined.
“As you’ve already seen, every time I say Jake Paul he turns the other way, it’s no problem if he wants to fight me, I’m not taking no dive. I don’t do that. I’m gonna knock your a** out.”
Hall of Famer Toney enjoyed an accomplished professional career, winning world titles in several weight divisions. He also went on to challenge for the world heavyweight championship on two occasions.
His career was marked by several significant victories, but perhaps none more impactful than his stunning eleventh-round knockout of the heavily favoured Michael Nunn in 1991 to capture the IBF middleweight title, a fight where he entered as a massive underdog. Toney’s later dominant TKO victory over a faded but still respected Evander Holyfield in 2003, showcasing his skills at heavyweight, also stands out as one of his most notable achievements.
The 56-year-old from Michigan has expressed an interest in facing Paul on more than one occasion, but faces the risk of suffering the same fate as heavyweight icon Mike Tyson, who was beaten by the 28-year-old in their bout in Texas last November.
