Luke Rockhold isn’t looking at Jake Paul as a legitimate fighter.
Paul has made a splash in the world of combat sports. The popular YouTuber has talked his way into boxing matches with former MMA champions Tyron Woodley and Ben Askren. Paul won both bouts. He stopped Askren via first-round TKO and defeated Woodley by way of split decision.
Rockhold, a former UFC Middleweight Champion, was a guest on ESPN’s DC & RC Show and he said he doesn’t think Paul can be seen as a real fighter (h/t Middle Easy).
“Jake’s tough. Real in what sense? Real, he’s not a professional boxer. He’s a tough kid, and he showed he can withstand and take some shots and keep going. If anything, he’s a decent boxer. Fighting’s different. Boxing is not fighting, we all have to identify that. You put on gloves onto two guys, to dumb down their version of combative skills to overcome each other, to perform. Boxing is not fighting. Boxing is a performance, it’s a dumbed-down version of fighting…
“He’s not a real fighter, no he’s not a real fighter. If he wants to be a real fighter he can step in the game with four-ounce gloves and we can do business, but that’s not the case.”
Rockhold is set to compete on the UFC 268 card on Nov. 6. He will be taking on Sean Strickland. The bout will take place inside Madison Square Garden in New York City.
As for Paul, he initially teased retiring from boxing. As many expected, it was all for a buzz and Paul has in fact not retired as a boxer.
