Jake Paul stuns Andre August in opening round
Jake Paul (8-1, 5KO), 26 from Cleveland, stunned Andre August (10-2-1, 5KO) at the Caribe Royal in Orlando on Friday, December 15.
"The Problem Child" landed a backhand right uppercut from long range in the final minute of the opening round, which floored the Texan instantly. Paul used his jab to set up the fight-ending shot, which travelled a long way and landed heavily enough to brutally rock August's head back to knock him out cold.
The contest was scheduled for 8×3 minute rounds at cruiserweight.
Paul came out of the corner with his right hand hovering under his chin and his lead left hand down low by his hip. He was pawing with his jab to measure the range and ease into the contest. He attempted a one-two from long range – jab up top, backhand right to body – but was too far out and missed. August was owing his head, trying to download data and predict patterns in Paul, but he hadn't landed a punch yet.
Paul took advantage of his opponent's negativity to step in closer and start to throw more, keeping with the successful jab upstairs, backhand downstairs combination. Paul was flicking his jab up, tapping at August's guard, then telegraphed another one-two, which was expected so August was able to land a strong counter overhand right, which sent Paul backwards, momentarily off-balance.
Paul landed a couple of jabs to keep August on the backfoot, then he threw a double jab-right hook-jab, which August rolled under cleanly. Paul went back to his one-two to head then body. August began to come forward for the first time in the fight, reaching in with jabs to the body. When he reached in, he left his head on the firing line for too long and Paul was able to double jab the target back, which was just hanging there to be hit.
Then he landed the jab-uppercut combination to knock Andre out cleanly with 36 seconds to go. The 35-year-old attempted to get back up but his legs betrayed him and he slumped back down into the canvas. The official time was 2:32 in round one.
August, 35 from Texas, had only been defeated once before in 12 bouts.
On the undercard, Baltimore's Franchon Crews-Dezurn (9-2, 2KO, 1NC) defeated the previously unbeaten Shadasia Green (13-1, 11KO) by unanimous decision to capture the vacant WBC super-middleweight title to set up a rematch with England's Savannah Marshall. Judges Alexander Levin (98-92), Frederick Fluty (97-93) and Tina Griffith (97-93) credited Crews-Dezurn for winning a scrappy affair that saw more clinches than clean punches. Read more…
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