Florida rapper Rick Ross has pledged $10 million (£8.5 million) to secure an opponent for the controversial YouTuber Jake Paul ahead of his next fight. Under the impression fighters are scared to go toe to toe with the YouTube star in the ring, Ross is hoping that his offer of $10 million dollars will prompt people to step up and face Paul.
Hasim Rahman Jr, son of former heavyweight champion Hasim Rahman, was set to fight Paul at Madison Square Garden earlier this month. However, Paul cancelled the fight due to Rahman weighing in over the agreed 205lb limit. Both fighters had initially agreed to a 200lb minimum weight limit, with both contenders allowed to weigh up to a maximum 215lb. However, Paul’s team wanted the contract to be amended to a 200lb minimum with a 205lb maximum instead of 215lb. Unfortunately, though when Rahman was approached with the amended contract, the fighter refused to compete at anything lower than 215lb.
With a series of fights all similarly falling through at the last minute, Ross took to Instagram writing, “Since everyone seems to be afraid to fight @ jakepaul I’m down to put another 10 million on top to make the right match happen,” asking fans, “What fight would you want to see?”
An untold amount of complications have meant that Paul has not been able to fight as of recent. As well as Rahman, the former YouTuber, was scheduled to fight Tommy Fury twice. The first time the fighter pulled out over a chest infection and broken rib. The second time around, the British fighter was denied entry to the US upon his arrival at the airport.
Rick, who is friends with Jake, says that his promised $10 million will be paid on top of whatever the fighter is getting paid by the promoters as a surplus although it’s unclear how Ross, a renowned businessman, would make his money back, especially since he’s already in trouble with the law for violating workers rights in his Mississippi branches of Wing Stop. Ross believes potential opponents are afraid of Paul after his 2020 performance against former NBA star Nate Robinson, who Paul knocked out with Robinson consequentially becoming a meme. Similarly Paul knocked out, Tyron Woodley.
Only time will tell if Ross’ $10 million is enough to prompt any potential opponents to step up. You can watch Jake Paul’s previous fights in the video below.
