While Ben Askren seemed to be taking his knockout loss to Jake Paul in stride, he did acknowledge that any ridicule coming his way would be fair.
“I probably deserve it,” Askren said. “Because I got knocked out by Jake Paul. It’s f–king embarrassing.”
Paul, the YouTube star, knocked Askren out in the first round of their pay-per-view boxing match Saturday night in Atlanta. Askren, a two-time NCAA champion wrestler and former UFC fighter, said he felt he was fine but the referee didn’t think he could continue.
Askren, 36, was guaranteed $500,000 for the fight.
“I don’t really give a s–t,” Askren said of the loss. “There’s some pizza waiting in my hotel room. I’m gonna go eat that. I’m gonna fly home and hang out with my kids tomorrow, and on Monday I’ll probably be at wrestling practice.”
Paul, 24, knocked out former NBA player Nate Robinson in November on the undercard of the Mike Tyson vs. Roy Jones Jr. fight.
