A recent press release included an interesting quote from YouTuber Logan Paul as he prepares for his boxing exhibition bout with Floyd Mayweather Jr.
Floyd Mayweather Jr. is one of the best boxers of all time, and Logan Paul is one of the most popular YouTubers of all time. Considering the facts, does Paul really believe he can beat Mayweather in a boxing match?
He says he does, but we shouldn’t take him at his word.
Mayweather and Paul had the social media buzzing on Sunday, Dec. 6, when their exhibition contest was announced.
Mayweather (50-0, 27 KOs) officially retired from boxing in 2017 after defeating MMA icon Conor McGregor. That megafight generated $4.3 million pay-per-view buys, according to the Las Vegas Review-Journal.
Can Mayweather vs. Paul generate more? Well, Mayweather and Paul hope so.
Paul has dabbled with boxing in the past. He lost his lone professional boxing match to fellow social media star KSI in 2019. Apparently, Paul thinks his bout with KSI prepared him for Money Mayweather because he is talking crazy.
How seriously is Logan Paul taking his fight against Floyd Mayweather Jr.?
“I am always searching for the ultimate challenge, and it is a dream to go toe-to-toe with the greatest boxer alive,” said Paul in a recent press release. “I am all in, and on February 20th, the world could witness the greatest upset in the history of sports.”
Yes, Paul defeating Mayweather would be the biggest upset in sporting history. It’s about as likely as armageddon occurring tomorrow or extraterrestrials flocking to earth for the winter.
This fight is only an exhibition, and the details haven’t been released, other than the pricing and fight date. The venue hasn’t been announced.
Mayweather vs. Paul is a pure moneymaker. Paul’s massive social media following and Mayweather’s star power will make this a spectacle to observe. Mike Tyson and Roy Jones Jr. set the tone with their exhibition event, and now it’s Paul and Mayweather’s chance to follow suit.
Paul’s recent comments can’t be taken at face value. He’s playing his role in hyping his fight, but his performance against KSI is a painful reminder that he’s just way out of his league.
That’s not going to stop people from watching. It’s an oddity that makes you question, what will happen when one of the greatest boxers ever fights a novice? It’s an easy prediction to make, but the trainwreck is hard to look away from.
Current odds have Paul as a 15-1 to one underdog, according to Betonline. The exhibition label probably has odds trending lower than they should.
The pay model for Mayweather vs. Paul is interesting. The fight is being produced and streamed by Fanmio. If you buy the fight now off their website, it will cost you $24.99. Once they reach 1 million buys, they will up the prices to $39.99. On Dec. 29, it will cost $59.99. Starting on Feb. 11, it will be $69.99.
The rolling price scale is an interesting concept, but will it be a smart move or depress ticket sales? Who knows? The only certainty is that this will be an interesting event. It always is when you have Mayweather as the architect of fight night.