Jake Paul vs. Tyron Woodley 2 preview and prediction

Jake Paul and Tyron Woodley fight for the second time. Will the rematch be different than their first meeting? FanSided has an answer.

Jake Paul and Tyron Woodley meet in an unexpected boxing rematch on Saturday, Dec. 18. It’s an event that came together quickly but should provide some intrigue.

Paul and Woodley first fought back in August at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse in Paul’s hometown of Cleveland, OH. Paul won via split decision. It was a close fight, but Paul deserved the victory. Now, they’re set to do it all again at Amalie Arena in Tampa, FL.

Paul was supposed to fight Tommy Fury, brother of Tyson Fury, but Fury pulled out, citing broken ribs and a chest infection. It didn’t take long for Paul and his team to secure Woodley as the replacement.

There’s no love lost between the two, which featured a lot of animosity in the lead-up to their first bout. Paul was happy with the win, but Woodley believed he did enough to warrant a rematch. He wasn’t going to get it, but Fury’s loss is Woodley’s gain.

Days before the contest, here’s how FanSided sees the rematch playing out.

Jake Paul vs. Tyron Woodley 2 preview

FanSided correctly predicted the outcome of the first matchup between Paul and Woodley. It’s an unconventional pairing between the YouTuber turned boxer Paul and former UFC welterweight champion Woodley.

Paul is a boxing newcomer, but to his credit, he has put in the work to learn the sport. He is 4-0, with 3 knockouts as a boxer in just under two years. The numbers are slightly deceptive. None of Paul’s opponents, including Woodley, are professional boxers by trade.

Yes, Woodley has a wealth of combat experience but not as a boxer. His first meeting with Paul was his first foray into boxing, and it showed.

Woodley wasn’t active enough and got outworked by Paul the first time around. According to CompuBox, Paul threw 44 more punches and landed 19 more than Woodley. Those stats provide an accurate summary of the fight’s action and the result.

Woodley’s boxing inexperience is hard to overcome, but so is Paul’s size and youth advantage. Paul is 4 inches taller and 15 years younger than Woodley. Woodley has more combat experience than Paul, but not in a boxing ring.

Jake Paul vs. Tyron Woodley 2 prediction

More often than not, boxing rematches yield the same result as the first contest. Expect the same trend in Paul vs. Woodley 2.

Woodley isn’t any younger, and he hasn’t grown physically. Yes, he got eight rounds of boxing experience under his belt, but so did Paul in their first contest. By athletic standards, Woodley is an old dog who will probably not learn new tricks at 39 years old. He’s at the age where his physical abilities are declining.

Paul, on the other hand, is just getting started. At 24 years old, he has room to grow and hasn’t hit his physical prime. He has a much higher ceiling than Woodley because of the laws of nature and has already proved that he can out-box Woodley.

Paul beat Woodley by split decision in August, but he should win the rematch by unanimous decision. Woodley is a competent enough fighter that he won’t get caught by a knockout punch but lacks the footwork and ability to out-box Paul.

Paul felt Woodley’s power when they fought, which should prompt him to box more carefully on the outside. To keep his boxing dreams alive, Paul needs a win. The smart way to accomplish that is by staying safe and working behind the jab from a distance. Woodley is a threat on the inside, and Paul knows that.

Paul may not please fans by boxing on the outside, but it’s the best move to avoid disaster and the route he should follow to earn another win.