The big night is almost here! What that means for combat sports fans is an electric showdown between professional boxer Anthony Joshua and viral fixture Jake Paul. As it turns out, there’s a piece of the pie for the pop culture fanbase, too, with renowned rapper Drake jumping into the mix.

Canadian singer-rapper Aubrey Drake Graham shared his bet for the fight, and it’s a staggering $ 200,000 that Paul will clinch the win against Joshua. That’s a big wager, especially given Paul’s underdog status against former two-time heavyweight world champion and Olympic gold medalist Anthony Joshua. Fans couldn’t resist roasting the rapper with cheeky remarks online.

Fans derail Drake as Jake Paul catches strays for his bout with AJ

One user was direct in their assessment, as they quipped, “Sad. Cause it a waste of money,” alongside a clip of Joshua KO’ing his opponent. However, another user brought a fun new twist to the betting episode, calling out the Drake Curse, which essentially means the person the rapper supports via betting or wearing their merch bites the dust.

They wrote, “Drake about to activate the Drake Curse in full force tonight If Jake pulls this off, Aubrey’s wallet gonna be smiling bigger than his OVO owl. 😂”. That urban legend was on full display during the highly anticipated Conor McGregor vs. Khabib Nurmagomedov bout, where Drake sided with the Irish. We all know how the fated occasion ended.

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Another fan pulled up fact files to their argument, commenting, “Drake’s $200K on the +800 underdog? Bold move, but Joshua’s pedigree…Olympic gold, 25 KOs in 32 fights…makes this feel like betting against gravity. Hoping the Drake Curse spares us an upset. 🍿”.

This was the general sentiment across the entire comment section, with fans establishing the rule of thumb in gambling: always bet against Drake. While this isn’t a hard and fast rule, the odds are already unfairly tilted towards AJ. A user wrote, “Well now we know our winner.” Another user noted the financial pedigree of the rapper, adding, “Imagine betting $200k like it’s $20 to us 😬😬😬.”

While yet another fan added, “This m* drake is so damn rich he be betting just for the hell of it. Jake is not beating AJ lol.” For another, the fight was already over, “pack it boys, jake paul getting knocked out.” However, some others brought an interesting yet speculative perspective to it.

“I don’t care how many people say this fight isn’t rigged, this is the only bet I would make on Jake Paul fight. Nobody can convince me Jake not paying fighters to lose. This is supposed to be a walk in the park for Ant but,” a fan quipped. “I swear Drake must’ve read the script of the fight,” another comment read. While there’s a wide perception that Jake Paul rigs his fights, there’s no confirmation of that, and it remains merely an accusation.

Clearly, Drake’s betting news has ruffled some feathers in the MMA fandom alongside the pop culture geeks, as worlds collide to throw sarcastic jabs at the rapper together. Here’s what the data says.

Paul vs Joshua: who has the upper hand?

In the betting markets, Anthony Joshua remains the clear favorite, placed at around -1200 to -1050. Apparently, his immense power and extensive experience have rolled the dice in his favor even outside the ring. With a 28-4 boxing record with 25 KO finishes, experts are weighing in on an early KO finish for AJ. Moreover, standing 6’6″ tall with a reach of 82″, AJ has the clear size advantage.

On the contrary, Jake Paul is an up-and-coming phenomenon in the world of influencer boxing, with some impressive wins and finishes in his resume. While the boxing fanbase still heavily criticize Paul’s real skills, there’s no doubt that the YouTuber has picked up some serious boxing groove. With a record of 12-1 and a height of 6’1″, however, Paul sits with lower odds for the night at around +700 to +800.

What is your bet for tonight? Can Jake Paul turn the tide around? Or is the ‘Drake Curse’ hanging heavy on him? Comment below.