Hasim Rahman Jr has struck Jake-Paul‘s team for using “shady” tactics to incite a fight between the two Americans.
YouTube star Paul is 5-0 as a professional boxer and has KO’ed every man he’s encountered. The 25-year-old will get back in the ring on August 6, taking on Rahman Jr. at Madison Square Garden in New York City.
Rahman Jr (12-1, 6 knockouts) is a former sparring partner of Paul and fills in for him Tommy Fury, who has now pulled out of fights with the YouTuber twice. Rahman Jr. is also the son of former heavyweight champion Hasim Rahman.
“It was a bit shady,” Rahman Jr. continued The MMA lesson, which details how his upcoming fight with Paul came together. “His trainer called me and he asks me how much I weigh, how I feel about my last fight, what I did at the gym, how much I trained.
“But he asked me on the pretext that I was going to come in and put Jake on the southpaw for the Anderson Silva [fight]. I think they will call me back and get me a flight to Puerto Rico to help them with Anderson.
“An hour later I get a call that they want to fight. So, all these questions were really trying to get me to fight myself. It was never a sparring situation.”
It was rumored that Paul would next match up against former UFC champion Silva before a second attempt was made within six months to set up a fight with Fury – heavyweight champion Tyson’s half-brother. Fury, 23, pulled out of a planned clash with Paul in December due to illness and injury, and this time he cited travel issues for his withdrawal.
Rahman Jr. also spoke about the time pressure he had to agree to a fight with Paul. The 31-year-old claimed Paul’s team said, “‘You must respond within 45 minutes of the hour or the offer will expire and you will never get another opportunity to fight Jake Paul.'”
Rahman Jr. also said he will lose 25 percent of his fight wallet for every pound he gains from being overweight should that happen.
“They’re so scared they want to put so much pressure on me to hit the weight to say, ‘You’re going to lose 25 percent for every pound you put on.'”
