YouTube celebrities Jake Paul and AnEsonGib are set to make their pro boxing debuts against one another on Jan. 30, part of a DAZN card headlined by Demetrius Andrade vs Luke Keeler, and featuring two other world title fights (Tevin Farmer vs Joseph Diaz Jr and Daniel Roman vs Murodjon Akhmadaliev).
The card, which will air on the Thursday night before the Super Bowl, has plenty enough for diehard boxing fans, while Paul and Gib will bring something else to the table, and hopefully some more eyes. This isn’t exactly a fight — even as novelty — on the level of KSI vs Logan Paul from November, but there’s hope that it’ll be an attraction as the co-feature on this show.
Paul is looking, ultimately, to face KSI himself, hoping to face the man who controversially beat his brother two months ago. He’s working with Shane Mosley in California to get ready for the fight.
“I’m excited,” said Paul. “I’m more prepared than ever, this sport of boxing I’ve fallen in love with. It’s an honor to be on card with legends. We’ve been putting in the work in Big Bear. It’s an honor to work with a legend like Shane Mosley, and I look forward to knocking this big nose out Jan. 30. That’s the game plan and that’s how it’s going down.”
“You don’t know what you’re getting yourself into,” he said to Gib. “You used all your American Airlines miles to get knocked the fuck out.”
He continued, “Gib is a doormat to me. He’s something I’m wiping my shoes with to avenge my brother. My brother lost on a two-point deduction to KSI. All respect to him, but I’m just a different fighter, different mentality, and after I beat Gib, KSI is going to get the smoke.”
Gib, notably shorter, will be trained by Viddal Riley, a novice cruiserweight pro who was the chief second for KSI.
“This man has fallen on all his social media platforms,” said Gib, which may or may not be true, I don’t know because I am not 12. “He took down my video for a specific reason, I guess the receding hairline comments got to him. I’ve made more money than your crew up there will ever make in their lives.
“When it comes to boxing, I’m going to knock him out. It’s a fight I wanted. He didn’t want this fight, I forced this fight upon him. I’ve been training every day, doing the sparring, doing the running, and doing what I need to do.
“You can expect a great performance, Jake on the canvas, and my hand raised as usual.”
There was also some... “shoving”:
Boy, this was fiery.