Jake Paul responds after Dana White bets $1 million on Ben Askren

YouTuber-turned-pro boxer Jake Paul is set to throw down with former UFC star Ben Askren on April 17 — but UFC president Dana White isn’t too optimistic about the influencer’s chances.

It’s no secret that Jake Paul is vying to transform himself from a full-time content creator into a professional fighter; ever since his victory over fellow YouTuber Deji in 2018, the youngest Paul brother has been itching to get back inside the ring again and again.

Since then, Jake has defeated the likes of YouTuber AnEsonGib and even former NBA athlete Nate Robinson, and is now on track to fight against mixed martial artist Ben Askren in just a month’s time.

This will be Jake’s first-ever official bout against a “true” veteran fighter, and it’s no surprise that all eyes are on Jake to see if he can hold up against Askren’s experience and power — but there’s one major name in the fighting world who isn’t convinced the YouTuber will come out on top.

Dana White, President of the UFC, spoke on the upcoming bout in Mike Tyson’s Hotboxin’ podcast with pro boxer Zab Judah, stating that he will go so far as to bet a whopping $1 million on Askren winning.

“Let’s be honest — Jake Paul isn’t a ****ing boxer,” White commented — a statement that both Tyson and Judah didn’t seem to agree with.

“He’s a great fighter!” Tyson interjected.

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“He’s been working hard!” Judah added.

“You’re saying he can fight?” Dana asked. “I’ll bet a million dollars that he loses this ****ing fight.”

Needless to say, it appears that Paul was ecstatic about this particular turn of events. The YouTuber reacted to White’s comment in a video shortly after the podcast went live, and couldn’t contain his excitement over the proposition — even going so far as to double White’s bet.

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This isn’t the first time Paul has put big money on his own chances; the star also put up a shocking $50 million for a potential fight against Conor McGregor in December.

No matter the outcome of his forthcoming bout, it’s clear that Paul has no qualms about settling things in the ring… and no qualms about putting his money where his mouth is, either.