Tony Bellew has emerged as a surprising fan of Jake Paul's opponent change after replacing Tommy Fury with Hasim Rahman Jr.
Paul was set to face the 8-0 Brit in what he was billing as his first test against a legitimate boxer, having previously stopped MMA champions, a basketball star and YouTubers. But when Fury was forced out due to a travel issue, Paul was forced to quickly find a replacement, at which point 12-1 heavyweight Rahman Jr was drafted in.
The boxer, whose dad is former heavyweight world champion Hasim Rahman, is far and away Paul's biggest test, with the YouTuber giving up size, reach and copious amounts of experience for the fight. But the social media star will also have some advantages, such as a rehydration clause that forces Rahman Jr to keep to his gruesome cruiserweight cut until Saturday morning.
But Bellew is still respectful of Paul, tweeting his support saying: "You can’t knock Jake Paul for his next opponent! He’s boxing a proper boxer! Fair play. He’s also guaranteeing these proper boxers their highest ever paydays."
Rahman Jr last fought in April against Kenzie Morrison, whose dad is former champion Tommy Morrison. He was stopped in the fight, which was his first big step up in a main event at the theatre in the Virgin Hotel Las Vegas, a much smaller venue than Madison Square Garden where these two face off.
His previous payouts are generally undisclosed, but it is believed that Rahman Jr will be paid ten times his career-highest purse. However, he insists that money wasn't a factor in taking this fight, and argues that even if it is a monstrous bump in pay, he's still earning less than any of Paul's previous opponents.
Tyron Woodley, the former UFC welterweight champion who Paul beat over split decision last summer before brutally knocking him out in their December rematch, made two bigger paydays than any of his seven title fights. Meanwhile Ben Askren, a former Bellator and ONE FC champion who had fought three times in the UFC also made his highest purse against Paul.
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Bellew's compliments towards Paul are a stark contrast to his usual take on the YouTuber, who was previously unkind towards him. During a heated argument with the Brit's promoter Eddie Hearn, Paul claimed that he had no idea who former cruiserweight world champion Bellew was when it was suggested by Mirror Fighting that the pair fight.
"That's a massive fight, massive," Hearn said when the bout was put to him, before bantering with Paul over Bellew's age. "He's retired, he's old, he's a former world champion."
Paul responded: "Who is he?" When the Brit responded that he was a former world champion and had starred alongside Michael B Jordan in Creed, Paul hit back by saying "That's his claim to fame? He was in Creed?
"He was in Creed, he was in the back, the janitor in the background. I think I've heard that name, I couldn't put a face to it, though. I know who Usyk is. I wasn't asked about Usyk, I was asked about Bellew."
