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      TKO Saudi boxing league: When does UFC and WWE-backed league start and what does it mean for Eddie Hearn & Frank Warren?

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      THERE is a new major player in the sport of boxing who could end up changing the landscape of the sport forever.Saudi bigwig Turki Alalshikh and The Ring Magazine have teamed up with the TKO Group – which owns the WWE and the UFC – to create a new boxing league.Turki Alalashikh announced the formation of a boxing league with the TKO Group this weekCredit: GETTYAlalshikh has enlisted the services of UFC supremo Dana White to run the leagueCredit: INSTAGRAM@TURKIALALSHIKHWhite has been brought on board to implement the UFC’s successful model in the leagueCredit: INSTAGRAM@DANAWHITEThe formation of the league could potentially change the landscape of boxing foreverCredit: GETTYAnd Alalshikh has enlisted the services of UFC supremo Dana White to run the promotion, which he believes will “crush” its rivals in the coming years.The chairman of Saudi Arabia’s General Entertainment Authority said: “If you want to fix boxing or any sport or doing some big project like this, we will not have any options better than Dana White.”And when I see him in this hotel before, one year (ago), with our friend Nick (Khan, TKO board member), and we are talking about this … we go on back, and we have the same vision.”And I trust (that) this league, in a short time, will crush everything.”READ MORE BOXING NEWSAlalshikh’s words have sent shockwaves across the boxing world, with promoters and sanctioning bodies now seriously sweating over their futures.But what does the Saudi-backed league mean for the future of boxing?SunSport is on hand to bring you everything we know so far about the potentially seismic shift in the noble art.When will the league be officially launched?JOIN SUN VEGAS: GET £50 BONUSTurki Alalshikh has teased a major announcement in SeptemberCredit: GETTYAn official date for the launch of the league – the name of which remains a mystery – has yet to be revealed.Most read in BoxingAlalshikh, however, teased that an announcement will be made on September 12, the day before the eagerly anticipated showdown between Canelo Alvarez and Terence Crawford.KSI tipped for sensational fight in Alcatraz by Turki Alalshikh as he makes major boxing U-turn During an appearance on ESPN, he said: “Ask [Dana] when the first event will be held in September. Ask him to answer… Maybe it’ll be September 12th.”What will the format be?Alalshikh has seemingly entrusted White to implement the highly successful and extremely profitable UFC format.It’s unclear whether the MMA league’s model will translate to the world of boxing given the promotion’s often-criticised revenue split with fighters and No1-ranked combatants often being overlooked for title shots.”There’s zero speculation on the format,” White said. “You know the format, and everybody knows the format.Implementing the UFC model in boxing could prove to be difficult for Dana WhiteCredit: GETTY”The best fight the best. You work your way up the rankings, and once somebody breaks into the top five, there’s no question who the best five guys in the world are in each weight class, and they fight it out.”And then, once somebody holds that belt, you don’t need three letters in front of the belt.”Whoever has that belt is the best in the world in that weight class. It’s a very simple model.”Potential amendments to or the repealing of the Ali Act – which was introduced in 1999 to protect the welfare of fighters and eliminate anti-competitive practices in the sport – could end up working in favour of White and Co.What does it mean for promoters?Veteran promoters Frank Warren and Eddie Hearn will be sweating following the announcementCredit: GETTYVeteran promoters Bob Arum, Eddie Hearn, Oscar De La Hoya, Ben Shalom and Frank Warren will undoubtedly be thinking about their futures in the sport following the bombshell announcement.But they won’t be going anywhere any time soon as they have most of the talent contractually locked up.That means the TKO-backed league will initially need to work with Boxxer, Golden Boy, Matchroom, Top Rank and Queensberry Promotions.READ MORE SUN STORIESFighters, however, could opt to see out their contracts with their respective promoters and jump ship given the prestige The Ring Magazine belt holds and the promotional power the TKO Group possesses.The biggest motivator for jumping ship, however, will be the astronomical paydays the Saudis have dished out in recent years. More

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      UFC and WWE to set up new boxing league with four ‘super-fights’ to be held

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      THE owners of the UFC and the WWE are on the brink of creating a new boxing league funded by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.UFC supremo Dana White teased the formation of Zuffa Boxing in the build-up to Conor McGregor’s crossover clash with Floyd Mayweather in August 2017 but it never got off the ground.UFC supremo Dana White teased the formation of a boxing league back in 2017Credit: GETTYThe owners of the UFC and WWE have plans in place to create the league later this yearCredit: GETTYTKO Group Holdings Chief Mark Shapiro has revealed the league could be announced imminentlyCredit: GETTYBut the MMA promotion’s parent company, TKO Group Holdings, revived those grand plans with Saudi investors last year and are on the verge of announcing a potentially revoluntionary league.TKO Chief Operating Officer Mark Shapiro said: “Everybody knows we’re in talks with the Saudis but to give you a little more color.”I will tell you that we are close on an agreement with the Saudis on a creation of a boxing league where we TKO would be the producer, the promoter and responsible for all day-to-day operations of the venture.”Where by we would receive a fee of $10million plus. Again, we’re not putting any money in, we’re not putting any capital in, we’re not on the hook for any [costs].READ MORE BOXING NEWS“Additionally, we would have some earn-in equity per time, specifically over a five-year period but it would be dependent on us achieving certain milestones, including us exceeding board-approved annual budgets over that five years.”The format of the proposed league is currently unclear, although Shapiro has revealed TKO will put on “four large scale super-fights” throughout 2025 and 2026.He explained: “I think I’ve given you at least a framework of what the deal would be. It’s its own league and we’d have consistent fights throughout the year.”I think on top of that you should know as part of the partnership, we would be the promoter, producer and event operator for four large scale kind of super-fights, as I call them, that would air probably two this year and two in [2026].Most read in BoxingJOIN SUN VEGAS: GET £50 BONUSThe promotional power behind the TKO Group could make the boxing league a real successCredit: GETTY“Those may or may not fall into the boxing league itself, they may just be one offs, but we would be paid a fee to act as the promoter, the producer and the event operator.”According to Shapiro, the groundbreaking deal could be confirmed imminently.Dana White provides major update on ‘biggest fight in UFC history’ as MMA mogul makes defiant vow Shapiro revealed: “We’ve just sent a delegation to London to meet with the Saudi delegation led by Andrew Schleimer, our [chief financial officer] and Nick Khan, of course who runs WWE, and Lawrence Epstein who runs UFC.”They had a full day meeting earlier this week and we’re getting awfully close and when we have something official, we’ll come out [with the news].”The millions at the disposal of Saudi Arabia’s General Entertainment Authority has changed the landscape of boxing over the last three years, with fights that were seemingly once-thought impossible being made at the drop of a hat.And Shapiro believes the promotional power possessed by TKO can further revolutionize the sport.He said: “There’s an audience for boxing and there’s a dearth of boxing on the national platform.”There’s a desire to have it back in the forefront of the American sports ecosystem.”It’s just been broken for too long, it’s been fragmented, it’s been poorly managed and we think we can do a lot with it.” More

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      I thought I was being scammed after WWE offered me trials on Instagram… but here’s why I chose boxing instead

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      PREPARING himself for Olympic glory, boxer Delicious Orie received a suspicious Instagram message offering him trials with the WWE. But the super-heavyweight star brushed off the invite as nothing more than a scam. Delicious Orie was beaten in the opening round of the 2024 OlympicsCredit: PAOrie was on holiday in Thailand when he realised he had been offered WWE trialsCredit: @deliciousboxingIt was only after he was controversially beaten in the opening round of the 2024 Paris Games that he gave the DM a second thought. By then, Orie was on holiday in Bangkok enjoying some well-earned rest off the back of heartbreaking defeat to Armenia’s Davit Chaloyan.He did a bit more digging and realised the offer from the WWE was real – and had already been accepted on his behalf. Orie, 27, told SunSport: “So they messaged me actually on Instagram – this was during the Olympics.READ MORE IN BOXING”So I wasn’t on my social media during the Olympics. I actually saw it on holiday a few weeks after.”And I’m looking up, I’m just looking through the messages and I’m seeing the WWE – initially I thought it was just like one of those fake things trying to get scam you.”But then I opened the message, I looked into the account and I’m like, ‘This is all legit, you know, they want me out.'”So I’m in Thailand, I bell my manager because I messaged them back and said, ‘Yeah, of course, let’s talk.’Most read in BoxingCASINO SPECIAL – BEST CASINO BONUSES FROM £10 DEPOSITS”And they said, ‘Oh no, we’ve already been speaking with your manager and we’ve sorted everything out, you’re flying out this day.'”I’m calling my manager like, ‘What’s going on here? I’ve haven’t been told this!Former world heavyweight champion who KO’d Lennox Lewis, 59, wins second comeback fight as opponent retires “And he goes, ‘You just need to chill out, just relax, have a good time on holiday and then you can reset because your mind’s going to be going.'”And I’m like, well it’s too late now my mind’s going now. But yeah, I went out there just to have a look, see what they offer and it was a fantastic experience.”Orie did undergo a physical trial with the WWE in Florida – but stopped short of any high-flying turnbuckle moves.He said: “We did bits, it was very light, though. I’d watched a lot of the real physical jumping off the the ropes and all that stuff.”The main reason why was they were a little bit more cautious on it because as athletes and the things that we’ve got going on behind the scenes, injuries, as you may know, there’s there’s a high injury rate in wrestling, jumping off things and stuff like that.”So I got to try out a little bit, but not too much.”What Orie realised most though was the WWE stars’ talent on the microphone – something boxers rarely excel at. He said: “That’s why the likes of Tyson Fury and all them stand out so much because he’s able to do that, whereas you don’t get many in the UK that can do it.”Orie only began boxing at 18He suffered a controversial Olympic defeat to Armenia’s Davit ChaloyanCredit: PAOrie – born in Moscow to a Russian mother and Nigerian father – moved to the UK aged seven seeking a better life. He only started boxing at 18 and excelled as an amateur winning national titles as well as Commonwealth gold and European bronze. And with still so much to achieve in the professional ranks, Orie decided to politely turn down the WWE’s approach. He said: “I was thinking what’s gonna get me the most fulfilment out of my life?”I could have gone down that route, but do I wanna be a 70 year old looking back thinking what could I have been as a professional boxer?”I think there’s something quite real, raw, primal about boxing. “There’s nowhere to hide, the amount of work you put in is what shows. No matter whether it is you win, lose, it doesn’t matter.”It’s how much work you can portray and show people how much work you you’ve put in. And that’s basically what I wanted to do.I’m just looking through the messages and I’m seeing the WWE – initially I thought it was just like one of those fake things trying to get scam you.Delicious Orie”That’s the reason why I decided to sort of say, ‘Look, amazing offer, but definitely the professional boxing is for me.'”Orie has now turned pro with Hall of Fame promoter Frank Warren at heavyweight with his debut set to be announced soon. And he arrives on the scene just as superstars Anthony Joshua, 35, and Tyson Fury, 36, prepare to depart leaving a gaping gap behind them. Orie said: “When I started boxing, I knew that there was a target audience that I can appeal to.”I believe that I’m quite real and I could just appeal to normal people and I can also try and inspire as many people that were or still are in my position or were in my position in the past.”So I thought to myself, there’s definitely a gap in that market for me. So from before I even thought about turning professional, I knew that.”Orie expects to fight regularly in 2025 – and promises plenty of eyeballs – whether they are booing or cheering. He said: “I’ll be very, very busy, and it’ll be very, very exciting.READ MORE SUN STORIES”There’ll be people gathering together watching Delicious Orie box, whether they don’t like me or like me, doesn’t matter. “They’ll be watching me box.”Anthony Joshua with OrieCredit: @deliciousboxing More

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      Watch crazy moment WWE legend Sheamus leaves Gary Neville writhing in pain as Man Utd legend swipes at Liverpool

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      WWE legend and Liverpool superfan Sheamus left Manchester United great Gary Neville writhing in agony during a hilarious segment.The four-time world champion is one of the greatest professional wrestlers of all time having shared the ring with the likes of John Cena, Triple H, Randy Orton and more.WWE superstar Sheamus left Manchester United legend Gary Neville in agonySheamus is one of the greatest WWE stars and a well-known Liverpool fanCredit: GettyNeville took part in a hilarious segment with SheamusCredit: PAThe Irish bruiser is also a massive football fan and a loyal Red that has made his allegiance to the Kop perfectly known throughout his 21-year career.And the 46-year-old got to meet one of United’s best ever players in Neville, 49, during a surprise appearance on The Overlap where they both sat down with Rebecca Lowe.At some point the ex-England international wanted to know how it is to be in the ring as a WWE superstar.And Sheamus decided to give the former full-back a taste as he put him in his signature Clover Leaf submission move.Read More on FootballLowe was left laughing her socks off as the ex-WWE Champion caught Neville with his fly open.He initially struggled to apply the manoeuvre as the pundit appeared to be a little heavier than expected.But the Clover Leaf was ultimately applied and the former defender was left in agony.Sheamus added insult to injury when he ordered Neville to say “Liverpool are going to win the league” and that Arne Slot’s side are “No1”.Most read in FootballNeville, though, showed some grit as he refused to submit and instead took a swipe at United’s rivals twice.The heavyweight grappler ultimately let the analyst go with Lowe left in stitches. ‘Are you serious there-’ – Gary Neville and Jamie Carragher reveal team of the year but come to blows over four picksSheamus is now gearing up for the Royal Rumble, which is an event that has seen him enjoy tremendous success as he won the esteemed 30-man over-the-top-rope battle royal in 2012.The Rumble takes place on February 1 at the Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, Indiana. More

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      Conor McGregor sends £200million warning to Logan Paul after ‘confirming’ shock boxing match

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      CONOR MCGREGOR has sent a blunt warning Logan Paul’s way amid continued talks over a shock exhibition bout.The former two-weight UFC champion revealed late last year he’d accepted a boxing match against the WWE superstar.Conor McGregor revealed a shock showdown with Logan Paul was in the works late last yearCredit: GETTYThe Irishman claimed he’ll throw down with the YouTuber in IndiaCredit: SPLASHThe UFC superstar has sent a chilling warning the YouTuber’s wayCredit: XSunSport understands negotiations over the bout are in the exploratory phase and neither the UFC nor the WWE are at the table.McGregor, 36, has suggested a whopping deal for the £400million ($500m) showdown – the brainchild of Indian billionaire Anant Ambani – has been finalised.And he’s done so once again with a blunt warning to social media superstar Paul.Along with a photo of Paul in the WWE ring and an India flag emoji, McGregor wrote on X: “$250,000,000. #ImComing.”READ MORE ON MCGREGORScores of McGregor’s followers commented, with one saying: “Easy work.”Another said: “I hope it’s true. I ain’t mad lol.”One remarked: “A quarter of a billion dollars to fight Logan Paul. surely not?”[The] world’s gone absolutely MAD if that turns out to be the reality.Most read in Boxing”Surely this fight won’t make enough to pay both fighters that silly amount.Another chimed in: “Doesn’t matter the fighter, if they’re offered $250M they’ll fight. Logan Paul Teases Conor McGregor Fight Announcement”Can’t blame them either.”A stunning report last December claimed both McGregor and Paul will receive a whopping £200m for their proposed Mumbai melee.Both men added fuel to the raging fire surrounding their proposed crossover clash, with McGregor resharing the report and Paul liking an Instagram post citing it.The Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai is being lined up to host the crossover clash, which will reportedly be in conjunction with the ‘Visit India’ tourism campaign.Logan Paul hasn’t fought since beating Dillon Danis in October 2023Credit: GettyConor McGregor hasn’t fought since breaking his left leg in July 2021Credit: APYouTube sensation Paul hasn’t fought since winning his Misfits Boxing grudge match Dillon Danis in October 2023.MMA mogul McGregor, meanwhile, has been on the sidelines since breaking his left leg in his trilogy fight with Dustin Poirier in July 2021.He was slated to make his UFC return against Michael Chandler last June but was forced out of their Sin City showdown with a broken toe.READ MORE SUN STORIESMcGregor’s next fight, wherever it’ll take place, will be his first since being found civilly liable for assaulting Nikita Hand at a Dublin Hotel in December 2018.The Irishman – who was accused of “raping and battering” Ms Hand – has vowed to appeal the verdict of last month’s civil trial at Dublin’s High Court. More

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      in Motorsport

      WWE Saturday Night’s Main Event live stream FREE: How to watch epic New York show

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      TIME to take a trip down memory lane as WWE Saturday Night’s Main Event returns tonight – and fans can tune in for FREE!The iconic event is back on the big screens for the first time since it was last aired in 2008.And it is expected to be jam-packed with nostalgic moments which includes Hall of Famer Jesse “The Body” Ventura on commentary.Jesse Ventura will be on commentary duties at WWE Saturday Night’s Main EventCredit: GettyFurthermore, the card is stacked with battles for THREE championship belts and a new title on up for grabs.This historic show also marks the final event before WWE makes it major move to Netflix in January.But first and foremost, fans want to know how they can watch WWE Saturday Night’s Main Event, and you can find out below.Where can I watch WWE Saturday Night’s Main Event for FREE?Fans in the US can tune into WWE Saturday Night’s Main Event on NBC.While fans in the UK will be able to stream the entire action for FREE on WWE’s official YouTube channel.These huge events are typically only available via the WWE Network or on TNT Sports Box Office.But this will all change in January, 2025 when the WWE complete the switch to Netflix as part of a mega $5billion deal.Most read in MotorsportWhen is WWE Saturday Night’s Main Event?WWE Saturday Night’s Main Event will take place TONIGHT – Saturday, December 14.It is scheduled to get underway 8pm in the US.Fans in the UK will have to wait until 1am before seeing the action unfoldWhat is the WWE Saturday Night’s Main Event FULL card?Here is the full card for this iconic event:WWE Championship: Cody Rhodes (c) vs. Kevin OwensWorld Heavyweight Championship: GUNTHER (c) vs. Damian PriestWomen’s World Championship: Liv Morgan (c) vs. Iyo SkyWomen’s United States Championship final: Bayley or Chelsea Green vs. Michin or Tiffany StrattonSami Zayn vs Drew McIntyreWhat has been said?Mike Johnson of PWinsider reported that WWE planned to finish off the feud between Seth Rollins and Bronson Reed before Reed sustained a broken foot injury.However, Drew McIntyre’s early return from the treatment table will see him go straight into the ring against Sami Zayn.Speaking on his absence, McIntyre said: “I was off the past two months. “My last match was a Hell in a Cell match, a very brutal match. I got hit in the head at one point, I needed 16 staples to close a wound on the top of my head.”I suffered a family loss as well. So I had to go back to Scotland, deal with that, re-evaluate my priorities.“I realized that I had probably given a bit too much to my profession and to my colleagues and not enough to my family. READ MORE SUN STORIES”Kind of realized I’ve been giving too much for the past 17 years, and it’s time to probably start taking a little more, so I’m very much going into tonight with the mentality, I’m gonna take what’s mine, I’m gonna beat up people that deserve to be beat up. “Yeah, this is gonna be an interesting phase for Drew McIntyre.” More

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      Watch moment BBC reporter walks out of interview after Logan Paul lookalike arrives instead of YouTuber

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      A BBC reporter walked out of an interview after Logan Paul sent a lookalike in his place amid allegations of fraud.Paul faces accusations of misleading followers over crypto investments by promoting coins without disclosing his own financial interests.A BBC reporter walked out of an interview after Logan Paul sent a lookalike in his placeCredit: BBCRodney Petersen is othewise known as Not Logan PaulCredit: BBCRodney Petersen with the real Logan PaulCredit: @LoganPaulAccording to the BBC, the YouTuber promoted crypto investments to his followers without disclosing his own financial interests in them.This could allegedly cause prices in the investments to soar – but Paul has denied any wrongdoing.The BBC also claimed that after Paul posted about crypto coin in 2021, an anonymous crypto wallet – which stores keys for cryptocurrency transactions and allow its owners to manage their funds – connected to his public wallet traded and went on to make a profit of $120,000 (£95,000).A BBC documentary, titled Logan Paul: Bad Influence, saw journalist Matt Shea travel to Puerto Rico to try and interview Paul over the allegations.READ MORE IN SPORTShea flys to Puerto Rico to visit the gym owned by both Logan and his brother Jake Paul – who recently beat Mike Tyson in a controversial boxing bout.The reporter noted a “suspicious” number of cameras in the room before realising why.Because Paul had instead sent Rodney Petersen – otherwise known as his stage name Not Logan Paul – in his place. The social media personality has made a career of imitating the WWE, boxing and social media star.Most read in BoxingCASINO SPECIAL – BEST CASINO WELCOME OFFERSShea says: “You look different.”Petersen responded: “I’m locked in, ready for this interview, do you have any questions?”Jake Paul teases major career change from boxing to follow in footsteps of brother Logan despite beating Mike Tyson With a smile, Shea responds: “I have to say, the real Logan Paul looks very different… Is Logan coming?”Shea then walks away after saying: “Let’s just get out of here, I’m not doing this.”Before he leaves, a group arrives in the room holding placards of Shea’s face while seemingly chanting anti-BBC messages.Shea continues via voiceover: “So rather than defend himself against the allegations we’ve been investigating, Logan decided to troll us.”Minutes after leaving the gym, we receive a letter from lawyers on behalf of Logan Paul, warning us against publishing our allegations.’I lost half a million dollars'”But these allegations against him aren’t going away, in fact, they’ve been building since 2021.”Paul currently faces a multi-million-dollar lawsuit over failed crypto project CryptoZoo amid accusations of fraud.The crypto game did not work as intended and resulted in the class-action lawsuit.Paul – who denies defrauding anyone – has pointed the finger at the games makers.But despite denying wrongdoing, he has offered a $2.3million (£1.8m) buyback program aimed at settling the issue.READ MORE SUN STORIESPaul, 28, said: “I’m going to take care of the people who made me look like this was a scam perpetrated by me. “I didn’t make any f***ing money, bro. I lost half a million dollars on this.” More

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      Jake Paul teases major career change from boxing to follow in footsteps of brother Logan despite beating Mike Tyson

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      JAKE PAUL has teased a career change from boxing to follow in the footsteps of older brother Logan. The YouTube star is 11-1 as a fighter after beating Mike Tyson on points over eight rounds at the weekend. Jake Paul beat boxing legend Mike Tyson on pointsCredit: GettyMeanwhile Logan is a WWE star who could soon be joined by Jake in the professional wrestling business. Jake, 27, said on Logan’s Impaulsive podcast: “I would love to. I would want to be like your Paul Heyman.”I wouldn’t want to wrestle as much. I can do some s***, but I would want to be your sidekick businessman or some s***.”Logan, 28, replied: “I’m gonna go for it. I’m gonna go for it. READ MORE IN BOXING”Perhaps, if you retire, you become world champion, then you retire, and I’m still wrestling, you can be like my manager who also has a mean right hand.”Jake then asked: “Why can’t I do it now?” Logan responded: “I guess you can do it now. It’s just time consuming.” The brothers then mapped out a plan to become champions in their sport while Jake’s speedskater girlfriend Jutta Leerdam takes Olympic gold. Most read in BoxingCASINO SPECIAL – BEST CASINO WELCOME OFFERSLogan said: “The ultimate goal would be for me to become WWE champion, for you to become boxing champion and then for your girlfriend Jutta to win Olympic gold.” The podcaster joined WWE in 2021, making his debut a year after, and has since won the United States Championship. Jake Paul admits he failed to knock out Mike Tyson ON PURPOSE after flop Netflix fight is slammedJake made a brief cameo in 2022 as back-up for Logan, attacking The Usos at the Crown Jewel pay-per-view in Saudi Arabia. The American has just one defeat in the boxing ring, a split-decision loss to Tommy Fury, 25, in 2023. A rematch has been eyed while Jake has also called out Mexican legend Canelo Alvarez, 34, after beating Tyson, 58. Jutta Leerdam with partner Jake PaulCredit: GettyJutta is a professional speedskaterCredit: Instagram / @uttaleerdamLogan Paul is a WWE starCredit: Splash More