CLEVELAND, OH – Mixed martial artist champion turned boxer Tyron Woodley is being “psyched” by Jake Paul with two tweets within an hour that appear to be designed to cause him some confusion that would delay his decision to tattoo “I love Jake Paul” on his body to keep their rematch deal.
At 7:45 p.m. on August 30th Paul tweeted tattoo instructions to the boxer who hit him in the head so hard he fell into the ropes. An hour earlier at 6:35 p.m. the Cleveland native tweeted the words: Updated status: “Retired boxer.”
Paul and Woodley entered the verbal agreement that the loser would tattoo “I love” the winner’s name on their body. After learning he lost the fight Woodley agreed right after the fight to honor the agreement and has given no indication that he won’t.
During the ShowTime post fight news conference with the two fighters, Paul said a part of him would like to move past Woodley because he believes he won the 8-round fight convincingly. No real observer does. But Paul reiterated, verbally at the news conference, that if Woodley gets the tattoo it’s on.
With his words so firmly committed to a “conditioned” rematch Paul’s cornered himself, legally, into a contract with Woodley that if broken will get him sued. The only way out for Paul is for Woodley to renege.
There’s no value to Paul as a boxer if he loses to Woodley in a rematch. The goal of his haters to see him beaten will have been achieved. Woodley promised to hurt Paul and he did.
Woodley controlled the center of the ring from the beginning to the end of the fight; and never stopped being the aggressor. Paul never stopped back pedaling. 71 to 52. The hardest punch came from Woodley to Paul’s head that knocked him into the ropes. But Paul in the third round got the rough shit going with a right uppercut he slipped through Woodley’s open right arm defense. He’s got some moves. Boxers calling Paul a joke are just shit talking.
Paul’s retired boxer comment piggybacks words he referenced about his future during the post fight press conference. In a moment of gravity, Paul spoke in reflective tones about risking his life to earn a living.
“My teeth are crooked. My nose is crooked from this sport. I’ve given everything to this sport. We’ll see. This is my bread and butter right now. That was first 8 round fight. I might wake up and go next’s fight. Let’s go. I might go, “Damn I need to go to Turks and Caicos.”
Last year Paul posted on his Instagram page that the broken nose didn’t come from fighting. 20 days before his boxing match with former NBA star Nate Robinson. Paul said he fell face forward while meditating as he shared pictures of his bloodied, swollen and lacerated crooked nose. He also didn’t lick his gloves after Woodley knocked him through the ropes. That was the next round.
Only the truest “hater” is not impressed with Paul as a boxing entertainer. What I know about him is ancecdotal and recent. He’s loud like Muhammad Ali and is getting the media attention of a gate drawing heavyweight champion after only four fights. Nobody in the fight game has been selling out stadiums after 4 fights. Not even Ali.
There are two nuances to Paul’s success. He’s winning an audience by exploiting a fight game niche that’s exclusively the domain of social media. High quality amateurs fighting like professionals with big social media names right from everyone’s back yard or playground. Today’s younger adults are following social media fighters who’ve made themselves famous instead of only boxers and mixed martial artists the “mainstream” media once made famous … exclusively. Paul’s built a 60 million social media fan base and he’s found a way to keep them paying to pay attention to him.
The second nuance is in his subtle “Great White Hope” marketing. This “world” we live in is all about ethnicity. It’s a tribal thing. Most people root, first, for a member of their tribe.
Ohioan and comedian Dave Chappelle attended the August 30th match between the two American competitors. Both sides wanted to see their boxer knock the other the fuck out. “Do it for the culture,” Chappelle – an American Negro – commented from his seat at the fight. It was funny but it wasn’t … culturally. But it was funny.
The audience played into the age old marketing scheme and bought tickets that cost between $10 and $1500 that sold out Rocket Mortgage’s Field House on August 29, 2020. That’s 19,492 seats when the stadium is configured for basketball seating. The seating for a boxing match is over 20,000 since a boxing ring takes up less space than a basketball court. Showtime logged in over 1 million pay per view sales at $59 a link. That’s $59 million. $2 million “before expenses” a piece according to some publishing reports.
Paul’s producing his own boxing shows with his own roster of talent. He’s showing boxers how not to be dependent on other promoters when they and their own “talents” can be their own promoters. Here’s what I mean.
Boxing, wrestling and mixed martial artis are found in Chapter 3733 of the Ohio Revised Code. It costs $50 to promote a boxing or mixed martial arts match and $100 to promote a wrestling match. Every participant is required to be licensed. Chapter 3733 through its various subsections instructs promoters and competitors on their legal duties. The promoter must secure a facility, publicly display ticket prices and don’t sell more tickets than the facility holds. Pay all the appropriate taxes. Fighters have to be weight classed, health checked and possibly HIV checked.
What Paul understands is there are plenty of empty facilities and plenty of fighters. He also understands “hype.” Woodley said during a pre-fight interview that the Paul’s marketing is intense. He offered that now that he’s experienced it there’s no other way to promote a fight.
At 40 Woodley’s earned more money and received more attention than he’s achieved in all his previous fights. I never heard of Tyron Woodley until he fought Cleveland native Jake Paul. Now I’ve watched his fight highlights, one full fight, his four losses, plus observed the hype from beginning until the words I’ve taken the time to write.
If Woodley doesn’t tattoo “I love Jake Paul” somewhere permanently visible to get another payday and career boost like the one just had it would only be a matter of pride. Paul talked about wanting to grab Woodley’s big booty. I can already see him labelling Woodley his “bitch” if he goes forward with the tattoo. More hype and Cleveland will be watching.
Paul’s fight was a sellout in Cleveland. If he can sellout a stadium here once he can do it again. Post fight the Cleveland native said his rematch with Woodley if he goes forward will be in Cleveland.
Stay tuned.
