Top Moments: Jake Paul knocks out Tyron Woodley in sixth round
If you get a kick out of boxing matches that involve celebrities, social media influencers and athletes who generally aren't known as boxers, then Saturday night was the night for you.
The headliner of the seven-fight card in Tampa, Florida was a rematch between Jake Paul — a YouTuber-turned-boxer — and retired UFC fighter Tyron Woodley.
Paul entered the night with a 4-0 record and three knockouts. The one win in which he didn't record a knockout was a split-decision victory over Woodley in August. Paul was originally supposed to fight Tommy Fury, half-brother to heavyweight champion Tyson Fury, on Saturday, but Tommy Fury had to pull out of the fight due to injury. This was only Woodley's second fight.
The Paul-Woodley rematch went much differently than the first, with Paul leaving nothing to chance when he caught Woodley with a massive right hand in the sixth round. Whatever you think of Paul, it appears that his rise in the boxing world won't be slowing down anytime soon.
"This is as real as it f---ing gets — just like my right hand," Paul said after the fight.
More on the fight below.
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Also on the card was an exhibition bout between former NBA All-Star guard Deron Wiliams and former NFL Pro Bowl running back Frank Gore.
Here are the highlights from the night.
Deron Williams def. Frank Gore by split decision
Gore, a five-time Pro Bowl running back who retired from football following the 2020 season, entered the ring looking all-business.
But Williams, who retired from basketball following the 2016-17 season, wasn't messing around either. The two battled ferociously, with Williams shoving Gore through the ropes at one point.
If there was a moment from the bout that would threaten to become a meme, however, it was Gore's face when he caught this shot seemingly by surprise.
Williams won the four-round bout by split decision (38-37, 37-38, 40-35), and immediately signaled that would be it for his boxing career. "I'm going to sit my old a-- down," he said.
Jake Paul def. Tyron Woodley by knockout
It was all fun and games when Paul, always the showman, entered the ring.
The early portion of the main event, though, were marked by the fighter's penchant for clinching, as opposed to throwing punches. At one point, Woodley seemed to revert to his UFC background.
Woodley did manage to land a blow that opened a cut on Paul's forehead midway through the bout.
But then, in the sixth round, lightning struck. Or more accurately, Paul struck Woodley with a huge right hand, notching an emphatic knockout.
Some observers said the KO salvaged a boring fight. Others marveled at the power of the winning blow.
Either way, there was a ton of chatter across social media. Here is a sampling.
