With more states and countries loosening coronavirus-related restrictions (we’re hoping not prematurely), we are seeing a return to fuller sports schedules. Part of this means some megafights on the boxing calendar.
- This month, heavyweight champ Tyson Fury will face former titleholder, Deontay Wilder.
- On August 20th, Errol Spence Jr. will defend his welterweight championship against the legendary Manny Pacquaio in what should be the bout of the summer.
All the major fights, for belts or honor, have odds available on major sportsbooks, both in New Jersey and other states with regulated offerings.
One fight that’s drawing attention (for all the wrong reasons) that we will not see priced is the August 28th fight between former UFC welterweight champion Tyrone Woodley and YouTube star Jake Paul. Yeah, unfortunately, you heard us right.
Jake Paul & Tyrone Woodley lace up the gloves and… err, there’s nothing I can really say to make this fight sound exciting so it’s time to be brutally honest while describing this boxing match up:
YouTuber / Disney Reject: Jake Paul
(Loudmouth punk with a punchable face & wanna-be boxer who is still stuck in his brother’s shadow)
VS
Former UFC Champion: Tyrone Woodley
(40-year-old, OTH collegiate wrestler with little-to-no boxing ability)
YouTube wanna-be boxers get no respect & no action from sportsbooks
Although the Paul-Woodley bout is sanctioned, no legal sports betting apps are taking action. Why?
Maybe, like many of us boxing fans, they don’t look at this as a real boxing match even if it is technically official.
I get it, it’s pretty ridiculous that this fight is even happening, and the Paul brothers are turning boxing into a clown show, making more money and getting more press than world champion boxers who worked their whole lives to become great. And because of that… I’m ok with no action being offered because these fights are not good for boxing.
Although the competitors have made loads of money, each and every “YouTube” boxing event so far has been a complete fail, making the sport of boxing the butt of their very expensive joke. This event isn’t about the fans or the sport of boxing… it’s about money.
Don’t get me wrong, I can’t wait to see Woodley batter Jake Paul. Actually, I would put money on the fact that probably 70%-80% of the people who purchase this event are just doing so to see someone silence Jake Paul once and for all. Then hopefully all this YouTube boxing stuff will go away.
Fingers crossed.
And I do feel anyone involved in combat sports should get paid their due. But getting paid hundreds of millions of dollars for 30 minutes of ducking and dodging another boxer who is way out of their prime… now that ain’t cool.
- Boxers make more money (which I’m ok with)
- Boxers & promoters gain more power (which is not good if you want to see the best competition)
- They gain the power to choose easy opponents and dodge the harder fights
- Fans don’t get to see the best fights possible
- Boxing slowly loses fans, but somehow the money is still there
- So since the suits are still making money, nothing changes
And over the last 15 years, we have seen what happens to the sport we loved so much when it only becomes about money.
With Floyd Mayweather Jr. leading the charge for 15 years of ignoring what the fans want to see, looking for the big payday over the best fight & waiting until other good boxers are out of their prime to finally accept those fights. No wonder boxing is where it is now.
No action, for a fight without action… seems about right
While the fight is slated for a PPV audience via Showtime and will happen before a big crowd in Miami on the weekend before Labor Day, this is not a traditional boxing match and thus the major American LEGAL sportsbooks will not take action.
Unlike his brother, Logan Paul, and his joke of an exhibition with boxing legend Floyd Mayweather, the Paul-Woodley bout is sanctioned and considered a professional fight to go on their records. But so far no action is being seen at any legal/regulated US sportsbook.
The 190-pound catchweight certainly creates some questions.
If New Jersey and other states take wagers on the Oscars and other non-traditional events, why not a match between a former UFC champ and a guy who KO’d a former MMA champ?
As of now, there appear to be no plans to offer odds on this fight. Should the situation change, we will update our site with posted prices. From the perspective of someone who has covered the market since it opened three years ago, I’d say the odds are the fight will not get priced.
