Jake Paul has sparked fresh controversy with a social media post flaunting his fight earnings and an arsenal of weapons, just days after suffering a brutal knockout defeat to Anthony Joshua.
The Mayweather-Esque Display
In a move directly reminiscent of boxing legend Floyd 'Money' Mayweather, the 28-year-old American shared an image from inside a private jet. The photograph featured wads of $100 bills scattered across the floor, presumably his takings from the high-profile bout against Joshua. Paul posed alongside the cash while holding a gold-plated magnum and smoking a cigar, with several other pieces of weaponry visible in the shot.
The post was captioned with a motivational message about the 'American Dream', urging followers to "Believe in it. Fail. Work. Fail. Learn. Fail. Don’t ever stop." The imagery and tone have drawn immediate and widespread comparisons to the flashy displays of wealth for which the retired five-time world champion Mayweather became famous.
Recovering from a Devastating Loss
The post comes in the direct aftermath of Paul's sixth-round knockout loss to former two-time unified heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua. The fight took place on Friday night at the Kaseya Center in Miami, Florida.
Joshua, 36, landed a powerful right hand that not only ended the contest but left Paul with a jaw broken in multiple places. The injury required urgent surgery following the bout's conclusion. Despite this painful defeat and significant injury, Paul has remained highly active on his social media channels.
As a result of the knockout, Paul has been handed a mandatory 60-day medical suspension, preventing him from returning to the ring before the period elapses.
Future Plans and Joshua's Call-Out
Despite the setback, Jake Paul has praised the sport of boxing and indicated his intention to continue his career. He has stated his aim is to pursue world titles, particularly at the cruiserweight division, once he has fully recovered from his injuries.
Meanwhile, victor Anthony Joshua used his post-fight interview to issue a public challenge to fellow British heavyweight Tyson Fury. Joshua acknowledged his performance was "not the best" but said his goal was to "pin down and hurt" Paul. He paid respect to his opponent's resilience, stating, "It takes a real man to do that."
He then turned his attention to Fury, saying: "If Tyson Fury is as serious as he thinks he is, and he wants to put down his Twitter fingers and put on some gloves... step in the ring with me next if you are a real bad boy. Let's see you in the ring and talk with your fists."
