Photo Credit: Photo via Smithsonian National Museum under creative commons license

Dark red brown training boxing gloves worn by Cassius Clay (Muhammad Ali) and signed in Louisville, as indicated by the penned note inside the left glove near the wrist. Gloves are edged in faded yellow fabric and tied with dark, faded strings. Stitching throughout the glove is in white thread. On the outside fronts of both gloves below the wrist are manufacturer’s labels. [POST / MANUFACTURING CO. / NEW YORK]. Inside the left glove, near the wrist, is a note in faded red ink. [SIGNED BY / CASSIUS CLAY/ Louisville / 1960]. Inside the right glove, near the wrist, is a note in blue pen [From / Cassius Clay / 1960]. Gloves are well worn and wrinkled. The right glove has dark discolourations near the top of the glove on the right side. Date: 1960s. Record ID: nmaahc_2012.173.3ab.

Jake Paul is an internet sensation who went from making videos to being one of the most controversial boxers out there. Here’s how Jake Paul got there after all these years.

Who is he?

Jake Paul started off making short videos with his brother Logan Paul on an app called Vine. He and his brother went to YouTube after Vine was shut down in 2017. That’s when his popularity really started to rise. He was casted as Dirk Mann on the Disney Channel’s Bizaardvark. The Paul brothers created Vlogging content and they gained popularity quickly. Many of his videos were controversial, including trespassing, and having parties during the beginning of Covid-19. He was a vlogger for most of his life until 2018 when he gained an interest in boxing.

Controversial boxing career

On August 25, Jake Paul would have his first boxing match against fellow Youtuber, Deji. Paul won the fight though being a very inexperienced fighter. He trained with very talented boxers during the pandemic. He was back when live events returned. A lot of people didn’t take Paul seriously because he went from being a social media influencer to a boxer. But whether you liked him or hated him, his media attention was getting bigger.

When I asked Kenny Throntensen about Jake Paul and his take on how he deals with boxing he said, “Publicity has come to Jake Paul. But it really hasn’t been good. He was getting his best publicity when he was boxing Deji. That’s when he was fighting people around his age. Him fighting people way under his level. That is why he’s one of the most controversial boxers right now.”

His “opponents”

His first two opponents were Youtube stars Deji and AnesonGib. Jake Paul was going up against people who had little to zero boxing experience. Those people fought Jake Paul but didn’t continue afterward. People really didn’t have an issue with Paul boxing at first. But after this, Jake wouldn’t fight people who were in the same level as him. He would go below his level. His next two opponents would be Ben Askren and Tyron Woodley.

These people are not boxers. In fact, these people compete in a sport that has nothing to do with boxing. Jake Paul was getting better at boxing but went up against two inexperienced people who are retired. These are Paul’s most notable fights. Jake Paul is 5-0. He will continue this pattern of fighting people below his skill level. He will be going up against Andrew Tate. Tate is a social media influencer and retired kickboxer.

His effective strategy

Paul has made $40 million from boxing alone. The fights get people talking. No matter the competition, people will watch. Most importantly, people want to see him lose against the supposed “lesser competition.” Braden Degeorge, a student from Colonia, had this to say, “I don’t like Jake Paul. I find him Annoying. But as much as I don’t like him, his ideas work.” Even though Paul is receiving negative reactions, it seems his end goal is to make money, which is exactly what he’s doing.