Drawing Parallels With Muhammad Ali, Jake Paul Pens Down a Highly Important Date Common to Both Him and the Boxing Great

Published 12/08/2023, 10:02 AM EST

Jake Paul, a well-known personality on social media and in entertainment, caused a stir in the boxing community when he entered the sport in 2018. Paul’s confidence combined with his capacity to draw large crowds and create buzz, has put him in the spotlight.

‘The Problem Child’ no doubt possesses skills that are beyond impressive. He takes pride in his wins and has recently compared himself to the legendary Muhammad Ali. Why? Paul took to Instagram to share a page of the Wall Street Journal showing him and Ali on the same page emphasizing a very important date.

Jake Paul drawing similarities to Muhammad Ali

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Paul’s story showed the journal’s page, which talked about Ali creating a trash talk tradition. He captioned the story, “Wall Street Journal, Jan 17 = GOAT”. The biggest key similarity between Paul and Ali is the fact that they share the same birthday on 17th January. He took this chance of being with Ali on paper as a way to self-promote.

Paul’s ability to draw crowds and navigate the boxing world is undeniable. All his years building up his online presence have also taught him the effective way to draw a crowd. However, equating himself with a boxing legend such as Ali raises concerns about respect, legacy, and contribution to the sport.

Ali’s legacy is difficult to match because it transcends the ring and is entwined with activism and social change as well. However, when it comes to trash-talking, Paul does match up to the legend. This is not the first time someone has made such a comparison.

Maurico Sulaiman on how Jake Paul and Muhammed Ali are similar

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Paul faced comparisons to the legendary Muhammad Ali, leading to criticism from fans. WBC president Mauricio Sulaiman addressed the backlash in an interview with FightHype, drawing a parallel to Ali’s past criticism. Despite initial disapproval, Ali is now considered the greatest athlete in history.

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However, MMA legend Matt Brown strongly disagreed with Michael Benson’s reporting of Sulaiman’s statement. In fact, he went as far as to suggest firing Benson for the “blasphemous comparison.” It’s worth noting that Benson only quoted Sulaiman’s comments.

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In the end, Paul’s influence on boxing is undeniable, but to be compared to someone as renowned and significant as Muhammad Ali demands more than just wins in the ring.

Watch This Story: Jake Paul Sends Fight Offer To KSI But With A Catch

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Written by:

The Greatest aka Muhammad Ali would always say, “We can’t be brave without fear.” I am a Boxing author at EssentiallySports and was first drawn to the boxing gym when a friend of mine came to meet me with her hand wraps still on. After arranging enough resources, I joined the gym and eventually tried my hand at MMA as well.

Edited by:

Gokul Pillai

Drawing Parallels With Muhammad Ali, Jake Paul Pens Down a Highly Important Date Common to Both Him and the Boxing Great

Jake Paul drawing similarities to Muhammad Ali

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Maurico Sulaiman on how Jake Paul and Muhammed Ali are similar