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The Jake Paul and Ben Askren event has taken center stage in the combat sports world. The fight between the YouTuber turned boxer and former MMA champion has attracted so much attention that it has overshadowed two other important events.

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The two will fight as the main event of a unique card later tonight. And despite the criticism towards the event at the start, everyone seems to be talking about the Paul vs. Askren fight. As a result, there has been very little hype about the two other bouts tonight.

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The 2-0 boxer has claimed he’s one of the biggest names in boxing, and some will argue that this event has proved that. WBO middleweight champion Demetrius Andrade will defend his belt against Liam Williams on the same day. However, very few have spoken about that event.

This is not the only combat sports event that the Jake Paul and Ben Askren bout has overshadowed. Askren’s time in the UFC may have been short-lived, and ‘Funky’ never became the star he wanted to. However, his fight is now getting more attention than former champion Robert Whittaker’s bout against Kelvin Gastelum.

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READ MORE: How Did Jake Paul Get Rich and Famous?

Why is the Jake Paul and Ben Askren bout getting so much attention?

Given that the event is trending more than a world title bout and an exciting UFC fight, it shows the success of the promotion for the PPV. So why has the Paul-Askren bout attracted more attention than actual high-quality fights?

There are several reasons for this. However, the main reason is Paul’s eccentric behavior. The entire combat sport wants to know whether Paul can cut it with real fighters or is just a hype-job. Moreover, his ambitious call-outs drew a lot of attention.

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Furthermore, Askren’s involvement initially put off a lot of fans. However, since their first meeting, many fans got excited as ‘Funky’ showed his trash-talking prowess. Since then, Askren has also improved his boxing and can pose a genuine test to ‘The Problem Child’.

Therefore, these are a few major reasons the fight is trending higher than the likes of Demetrius Andrade’s bout and the Whittaker-Gastelum bout.

Paul’s incredible social media reach is another reason for the successful promotion, but only time will tell if the event delivers on the hype.

What do you make of this crossover bout? Do you think the Ben Askren and Jake Paul bout deserves the hype?

READ MORE: From Awkward Yoga to MMA Techniques: Jake Paul vs Ben Askren Open Workout Recap

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Leonardo Carvalho

1,042 Articles

Leonardo Carvalho is a Boxing Writer for EssentiallySports. Before working as a boxing web journalist, Leonardo dabbled in roles ranging from an SEO specialist to a Chegg expert. Alongside his current role, Leonardo runs a YouTube channel where he combines his passion for fitness with sports. The latter is a discipline in which he holds a level 3 certification from the British Council's Premier Skills. He has covered some of the biggest boxing stories over the last year. These include Mike Tyson's comeback and Teofimo Lopez's ascent to the pinnacle of the lightweight division. This boxing enthusiast's tryst with the sport began when his favorite puncher, Anthony Joshua, knocked out Wladimir Klitschko to become the heavyweight champion. While he still admires 'AJ', he has developed a deep admiration for 'Sweethands' Caleb Plant. Besides his professional pursuits, Leonardo is an avid musician who is proficient with the guitar and the ukulele.

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