On 29th August 2021, in his hometown of Cleveland, Ohio, YouTuber-turned-boxer Jake Paul defeated his fourth professional opponent Tyron Woodley in a box office thriller that reportedly surmounted 500,000 pay-per-view sales.

Armed with all the confidence and bravado that characterises some of the most renowned fighting personalities, the self-proclaimed “Problem Child” proudly exalted his undefeated status before his latest fight, reaffirming the fact that he is a “natural born fighter”. Since making his boxing debut on the undercard of his brother Logan’s bout against KSI back in 2018, Jake has forced his way onto the scene by investing much of his time, money, and energy into carving out a name for himself in the boxing industry. Beyond mastering the skill of trash talk, there is no doubt that he has developed into a skilled fighter since his first amateur matchup.

“Hearn threw himself at the chance to promote YouTube events when the financial incentives were there, but then quickly retreated in an attempt to protect his reputation as a boxing purist”

Reflecting on the personal impact that the “art of boxing” has had on him, Jake stated that the sport allowed him to mature from being a troublesome “prankster” frequently appearing in headlines for reckless actions such as throwing massive parties in spite of California’s stay-at-home orders during the height of the pandemic. Indeed, when it comes to controversy, it is certainly the case that Jake is nothing short of making the list as one of the most infamous internet personalities out there. Perhaps that is why so many were eager to see the boastful, outright arrogant YouTuber get dropped once and for all. Such record-breaking attraction may itself be attributed to a general desire amongst the masses to witness the downfall of a vexing internet star who is yet to be stopped in his egotistical tracks.

Nevertheless, Jake reassured both fans and critics that part of his job is “ruffling people’s feathers”, and he is okay with not being a “squeaky clean role model”. Regardless of what people may think of him and even his equally controversial brother Logan, they have undoubtedly rejuvenated the sport of boxing in a way that has made it significantly more appealing to a younger audience. With a reach of over 50 million followers across platforms such as YouTube, Instagram, and TikTok, Jake has leveraged his audience and thereby subverted the conventional journey to becoming a professional boxer, for better or for worse depending on how one may look at it.

Far from treating their boxing careers as a one-time stunt, the Paul brothers have actually proven to the world that they do not intend to denigrate the sport. Instead, they aim to cultivate its community outreach, with Jake announcing the establishment of a charity geared towards tackling cyber bullying amongst adolescents by instilling self-confidence through boxing.

“By confronting the issue of salary, he can single-handedly stimulate change in a business that is clearly monopolised by the hypocritical few that top the financial hierarchy”

However, critics remain emboldened in their condemnation. Promoter Eddie Hearn, who was directly involved in organising both KSI vs. Logan Paul and AnEsonGib vs. Jake Paul, has now stated that he has tried to move away from the “cringeworthy” world of YouTube boxing, solely focusing on what he believes to be the “authentic” sport with the likes of Katie Taylor, Conor Benn, and Anthony Joshua. Gesturing at the fact that certain individuals are out there to participate in the sport to “build a legacy”, while others are out there to simply “make as much money as possible”, Hearn’s words appear to attack Jake, but inevitably possess a hint of irony given the promoter’s prior eagerness to seize on the popularity of YouTube boxing.

Yet Jake’s unconventional journey into the ring demonstrates a sense of personal integrity that the big names in “authentic” combat sports, including Eddie Hearn and Dana White, ultimately lack. Hearn threw himself at the chance to promote YouTube events when the financial incentives were there, but then quickly retreated in an attempt to protect his reputation as a boxing purist. His recent twists and turns stand in stark contrast to the actions of Jake, who has consistently maintained his enthusiasm for bringing positive change to boxing by embarking on charitable endeavours and drawing attention to broader issues within the sport such as fighter salaries.

By taking on UFC President Dana White, Jake seeks to expose the organisation’s disproportionate pay structure, which is currently stuck below 20% of revenue and consequently deprives fighters of a fair and proportionate salary. It should therefore come as no surprise that former UFC fighters such as Tyron Woodley and Ben Askren are jumping ship and accepting bouts with the YouTube star, who has quite literally offered them the biggest payday of their professional careers.

Other fighters on Jake’s recent undercard, such as Tommy Fury, have also reportedly earned sums relatively unseen on the traditional boxing circuit, which begs the question as to whether those at the heart of ‘real’ boxing are right to accuse the Paul’s of money-grabbing. In fact, Jake by all accounts took a pay cut to fund the fighters on his undercard, suggesting that he may actually care about the health of the sport rather than simply throwing himself into the ring to line his own pockets.

As unorthodox a catalyst the “Problem Child” may be, Jake is in fact shining some much-needed light on the pressing issues that underlie the world of combat sports. By confronting the issue of salary, he can single-handedly stimulate change in a business that is clearly monopolised by the hypocritical few that top the financial hierarchy. From Disney star to contender, maybe it’s time that people grant Jake Paul the respect he deserves, for it is he who has brought the gifts of fan appeal, appropriate pay, and charity to a sport deeply flawed beneath the surface.