Jake Paul hasn’t been able to find much footage of Andre August while trying to prepare for his upcoming opponent.
Paul promised to place August on his highlight reel, though, when they fight Friday night in Orlando, Florida. The polarizing Paul hasn’t recorded a knockout in almost two years, but the Westlake, Ohio native predicted that he’ll end that drought when he opposes the second “real boxer” of his three-year career in an eight-round cruiserweight contest.
DAZN’s Todd Grisham, who moderated their final press conference Wednesday, asked Paul (7-1, 4 KOs) how their main event will unfold at Caribe Royale Orlando.
“A knockout,” Paul replied. “You know, add him to the highlight reel. End of story. You know, just like all these guys talk. I been in the ring with UFC champions, real killers. This guy is actually nothing. You’ll see. Watch. Forty-eight hours, it’s going down. Tune in. Have fun. Here we go.”
Houston’s August is 10-1-1, including five knockouts, but he hadn’t been scheduled for more than six rounds before he agreed to oppose Paul. August also suffered a second-round, technical knockout defeat to Eric Abraham (then 3-3) in September 2018 at Arabia Shrine Center in Houston.
The 35-year-old August has won five fights in a row. He has boxed only once, however, since November 2019.
“Look, there’s not, you know, tons and tons of footage,” Paul said. “But we’re gonna see, you know, me outbox him. He can’t move like me, he’s not as sharp as me. Skillful, picking him apart. And I doubt he’s even gonna land a punch. So, that’s really what it is. Sloppy feet, all that for him. So, I’m gonna just dust him up real quick and you’re gonna see who the better boxer is.”
Unlike his last two provocative opponents, Tommy Fury and Nate Diaz, the reserved August refused to engage in any trash talk.
“Man, I’m gonna leave all that talking for the women,” August said. “That’s not me. I don’t do all that talking like that. I mean, hey, I appreciate you for having me here, man. I appreciate it at the same time. But I just ain’t got time for all that talking like that. I mean, he have to do what he have to do cuz this is his thing. You know what I’m saying? It is what it is. Let’s get it on.”
Paul and August will headline a four-fight card DAZN will stream starting at 7:30 p.m. ET Friday night. Baltimore’s Franchon Crews-Dezurn (8-2, 2 KOs), a former undisputed super middleweight champion, and Shadasia Green (13-0, 11 KOs), of Paterson, New Jersey, will fight for the vacant WBC 168-pound crown in the 10-round co-feature.
Keith Idec is a senior writer/columnist for BoxingScene.com. He can be reached on Twitter @Idecboxing.