Furious Jake Paul responds to claims his next fight against ex-sparring partner Hasim Rahman Jr is ‘fixed’
JAKE PAUL has hit out at “f****** ridiculous” suggestions his fight against Hasim Rahman Jr is “fixed”.
Rahman took the fight on a month’s notice after Tommy Fury withdrew from the August 6 clash at Madison Square Garden.
Some fans believe the bout could be “fixed” as Paul, 25, and Rahman, 31, sparred together in 2020 and seem to have maintained a good relationship ever since.
But the YouTuber turned unbeaten boxer has angrily dismissed the allegations.
The American pointed out that old sparring partners often go on to meet each other for real in the ring.
When asked in a press conference about the fan theories, Paul fumed: “It’s f****** ridiculous. It’s illegal to do that, first and foremost.
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“Secondly, sparring partners end up fighting all of the time. Look at Gennady Golovkin and Canelo Alvarez, Dillian Whyte and Tyson Fury, this is a common thing.
“And they [the Rahman family] have so much pride and ego and there’s real tension, you can feel that energy in the room.
“So anybody who thinks that are obviously the Jake Paul haters that want to discredit anything that I’m doing.”
Rahman’s father – Hasim Sr – is a former heavyweight champion, who beat Lennox Lewis to win world title honours in 2001.
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Hasim Sr also fought the likes of Evander Holyfield and Wladimir Klitschko.
And Rahman has also hit out at suggestions his August showdown with Paul is “fixed”.
“When my father was fighting Evander Holyfield, he had a hematoma on his head the size of a cantaloupe. He put his life on the line in this sport.
“If Holyfield hit that thing, it could have bust open and my father could have died – he really put his life on the line. Do you really think I’m going to disrespect the sport I love, that put me through private school? The sport that has afforded me not to want for anything?
“I’ve never wanted anything in my life because of boxing. I don’t know what it’s like to want something because my father put in so much work to this sport and dedicated his life to this sport.
“So in what realm do you think I’m about to go out there and do anything other than put my best foot forward? You’re asinine if you think that.”