Ben Askren responds to claims Jake Paul fight was fixed

Ben Askren has responded to critics suggesting his boxing match against Jake Paul was fixed.

This past Saturday night, former UFC fighter Askren was beaten in the first round by YouTuber turned pro boxer Jake Paul.

In the build-up to the fight Ben made it crystal clear that he was just there for the payday, and while some did feel as if he could win, many knew his striking wasn’t at the level it needed to be in order for him to compete purely on the boxing front.

‘Funky’ Ben Askren addresses complaints

Prior to this loss Askren was enjoying his days in coaching after retirement, which came after losses to Jorge Masvidal and Demian Maia in the UFC.

Now, though, he has to deal with a whole host of queries after fans and pundits questioned the legitimacy of the aforementioned fight against Paul.

During an interview with ESPN, Askren sought to set the record straight.

YouTube video

“That’s human nature [to question the fight] but it definitely didn’t happen, I got hit. 

“I guess the question I have for people is what do I gain from it? I told you guys what I made for this fight, it was a very nice pay cheque but I’m also not destitute and poor, so what do I gain by that? The answer is nothing.

“I think in fact I would lose a lot and it’s not something that would ever cross my mind.

“I said if the guy’s a good boxer then I’m going to lose. There was a fear he had around me and there was a feeling that maybe he wasn’t very good. “In the locker room I was pretty confident I was going to win but, the result afterwards is irrelevant to me, my life is going to be the same either way.”

Even after a loss like this, the MMA community will always love Ben for his comedy and honesty.

Featured image credit: Getty