Colby Covington held nothing back in his scathing assessment of Jake Paul’s knockout loss to Anthony Joshua, questioning why anyone would wager money on the YouTube star against a decorated boxing champion.
The bout, which took place under full professional boxing rules and was approved by U.S. betting regulators, saw the 243.4 lbs (110.4 kg) Joshua demolish the 216.6 lbs (98.2 kg) Paul via knockout at 1:31 of the sixth round. Unlike Paul’s exhibition against Mike Tyson, which faced betting bans due to modified rules, this Netflix-streamed contest followed standard regulations, prompting sportsbooks to offer action nationwide.
Covington pulled no punches in his reaction, comparing the spectacle to a notorious Jackass episode.
“This reminded me of the episode of Jackass where Johnny Knoxville had a boxing match with Butterbean in the department store. People tuned in to see if Jake was dumb enough to actually go through with getting mangled by a heavyweight boxer. And just like Johnny Knoxville, Jake delivered in an embarrassing jack*ss fashion.”
The UFC star emphasized that Paul’s willingness to step into the ring with such a dangerous opponent proved nothing about his fighting credentials.
“Jake didn’t prove he was really tough or a real boxer. He just proved he’s really stu pid.”
Despite Joshua being listed as a heavy favorite, Paul’s ability to draw massive audiences and betting action meant significant money was still placed on the social media personality. This reality baffled Covington completely.
“Can’t believe people actually bet on a Disney Channel kid to beat an Olympic gold medalist and world heavyweight champion. That whole show was an embarrassment.”
The matchup was always highly unusual from a competitive standpoint. Joshua, a former two-time unified heavyweight champion with an Olympic gold medal to his name, possessed far more size, experience and pedigree than Paul, who had bulked up for the occasion but remained significantly outsized.
Covington suggested the defeat might signal the end of Paul’s boxing career.
” Hang the gloves up, Jake. There’s no shortcuts or anything they can ever inject you with that will make you a real figh ter. Go sell deodorant to broccoli-haired teenagers or whatever it is that you do. Leave the figh ting to the professionals.”
