Somehow, someway Jake Paul — yes, the YouTube personality — fighting a retired MMA fighter, Ben Askren, is one of the biggest boxing matches of the year. But hey, where there’s attention, there’s money to be made! Here’s what betting picks you should be making ahead of the spectacle!
A lot of bettors are stuck on how to bet the Jake Paul vs. Ben Askren fight, and perhaps rightfully so. What's to even make out of a boxing bout between two non-pros?
Welp, don't ask that to online sportsbooks because they have to handicap the fight one way or another. Thus far, most are in agreement that Paul is the odds-on favorite, as seen below:
Over the course of this article, we're breaking down all things Paul vs. Askren betting. Despite the non-boxing backgrounds of both, there's enough information to make an informed pick on the matchup.
The first order of business: when is the Ben Askren vs. Jake Paul fight date anyway? It's going down on Saturday, April 7. Pay-per-view start time is 9 pm EST.
Speaking of pay-per-view, the action will exclusively be broadcast on the Triller app — the same platform that aired the Mike Tyson vs. Roy Jones Jr. exhibition match last November. The show will run for $50 a pop.
Though, it's worth noting that the Jake Paul vs. Ben Askren date includes other boxing fights, too. Most notably, Antonio Tarver is squaring off against Frank Mir. Tarver — a multi-weight boxing champion and one-time star of a Rocky movie — returns to the ring for the first time in six years against Mir, another ex-MMA fighter. The show undercard also includes Ivan Redkach vs. Regis Prograis and Joe Fournier vs. Reykon.
All four fights are subject to professional boxing rules, that is eight rounds at three minutes apiece. Fighters will also wear 10-ounce gloves.
On paper, it's obvious why the Ben Askren vs. Jake Paul odds are where they are currently. Paul has the upper-hand across the board.
Size? Paul stands six-foot-one to Askren's 5-foot-10 frame. Age? At 24 years old, Paul is 12 years the junior of Askren.
But perhaps most of all, the boxing experience favors Paul. He's stepped into a boxing ring twice and won by knockout both times — famously dropping ex-NBA star Nate Robinson out cold during the Tyson-Jones undercard. Askren, on the other hand, has no relevant experience to speak of.
Of course, we don't want to discredit Askren's fighting past. Unlike Robinson, at least Askren has been punched in the face before. Fighting across Bellator, ONE, and UFC, Askren racked up a 17-0 record before losing his last two MMA fights — including a five-second loss (not a typo) to Jorge Masvidal.
But here's where we worry about Askren: he was never much of a stand-up fighter in MMA. His fighting background was in wrestling, which Askren used to perfection for takedowns and in the ground game. Sure, six of his career wins came by KO, but a powerful or accurate puncher has never been a way to describe Askren's fighting style.
If you're going off the Ben Askren vs. Jake Paul stats alone, then it becomes clear why it's Paul's fight to lose come April 17.
Askren is washed up athletically. There, we said it. Not only is he pushing 37 years old, but he's also taken a whole lot of damage in his fighting career. Due to both, his mobility is shot — which doesn't bode well in a sport that's so footwork-intensive.
We would discount all that if Askren threw a good punch since he could always finish Paul early. But Askren can't stand up and strike worth a lick.
As silly as it sounds picking a YouTuber to beat a former Olympian, that's exactly what we're doing. Paul, while not great at anything in particular, doesn't have as many holes in his boxing game as Askren.
Though, we don't think Paul wins by knockout. At the very least, Askren can play defense and won't throw himself at Paul unguarded like Robinson mistakenly did. And let's face it, Askren has fought some of the baddest guys on the planet before — all of which surely hit harder than Paul — so surely, Askren can take the best punch a YouTuber throws his way and stay upright.
While on the surface, the Ben Askren vs. Paul odds feel like a crapshoot, they're really not upon closer examination. Paul should cruise to victory by the judge's decision.
Betting pick to make: Jake Paul (-140)
By reading this far, you're now all caught up on the circus-show fight. If you want action on the Jake Paul vs. Ben Askren odds — which, c'mon, you definitely do — you can visit one of the bookmakers below.
Not only is wagering easy on these platforms, but it's also lucrative. That's because you can make money before the fight even starts by redeeming a sign-up bonus from the betting site. To redeem, just create an account and deposit money into it — the bookie will match part of that deposit in bonus money.
The best part? The bonus is completely free (besides the initial amount you fund into your new account). And it's no chump change, either, we're talking rewards that reach thousands of dollars in free play!
For a list of running deals, reference the table below. A combo of a sign-up bonus and a bet on Paul could mean big bucks for you soon enough!
Category : News
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