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MMA royalty, Ben Askren, will lace up the boxing gloves and stage his in-ring pro-debut against Jake Paul on April 17. Although the matchup has come out of nowhere, there’s no denying that the entire boxing community is eagerly awaiting the fight.

Following two professional boxing bouts against a YouTuber and former NBA star, Jake Paul’s third fight will be against a professional fighter. That said, Askren has never entered a squared circle and his experience lies within the MMA cage and wrestling mats.

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Askren is an elite wrestler, and his striking skills aren’t held in high regard. Given his prowess and credentials as a grappler, it comes as no surprise. However, ‘Problem Child’ saw this as an opportunity to get rid of the tag of him not having fought a real fighter and laid down the challenge.

Ben Askren accepted the challenge wholeheartedly and seemed confident of vanquishing ‘The Problem Child’. But, it’s easier said than done as ‘Funky’ will be the lesser experienced boxer in the ring.

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Ahead of the crossover bout, there will be a lot of statistical analysis that will be scrutinized extensively by fans on both sides.

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Combat Records

‘Funky’ Ben Askren has a professional MMA record of 19 wins with just two losses and one no contest. The Olympian has also held world titles at Bellator MMA and One Championship. Later, he entered the UFC as an undefeated fighter.

Despite all these accolades and an MMA striking game, Askren has no professional boxing experience.

Meanwhile, Jake Paul has two knockouts in two professional bouts and will be looking for the third to maintain his record.

Ben Askren and Jake Paul’s height and reach

Askren is a natural welterweight and stands around 170 lbs with a reach of 73”. Meanwhile, Jake Paul weighs around 200lbs and has reported a reach of 78”. So, the ‘Problem Child’ can utilize these advantages and keep landing punches from a distance. Although Askren can respond, he may have a tough time, especially with the reach disadvantage.

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Social media followers of Ben Askren and Jake Paul

Jake Paul beats Ben Askren on Internet numbers and the difference is noticeable, Being an Internet celebrity, ‘The Problem Child’ clearly dominates in this section. He has a total of 14.6 million followers on Instagram and 3.8 million followers on Twitter.

Askren is yet to touch a million. He has 681K followers on Instagram and 261.8 K followers on Twitter. However, the numbers are increasing rapidly and Askren’s stardom has gone to several countries.

Networth

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Jake Paul has a total of $20 million net worth. Much of it has come from his YouTube career and social media ventures. However, his last two fights have also seen his bank balance swell in a massive way.

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As per Famous People, Ben Askren has a net worth of $2 million. Despite being an elite fighter, Askren has never been a prime face. However, he can change this by being part of a lucrative boxing bout.

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Who do you think will emerge victorious in the bout between Ben Askren and Jake Paul?

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