Updated Odds and Date for Jake Paul vs Ben Askren

• Updated odds and date for Jake Paul vs Ben Askren are now out
• Who wins in the boxing ring between the YouTube star and the UFC vet?
• Check out the fight odds, analysis, and the story of how we got here, below

Jake Paul vs Ben Askren has been discussed for a little while now and has finally been confirmed. The eight-round pro boxing contest is set to go down on April 17th, 2021. The location is currently to be determined for Paul vs Askren.

This bout is set to broadcast via pay per view on Triller and will be the burgeoning platform’s next Fight Club main event after their Tyson vs Jones Jr show.

Jake Paul vs Ben Askren Odds

All odds as of Jan. 26

Odds have already been moving a bit for this fight since rumblings around it first came up. Paul was initially the favorite, but his odds have increased from -180 to -155 with the official announcement of the prizefight.

Jake Paul’s Road to Ben Askren

This bout doesn’t read like the most technically savvy boxing bout on paper, but the pre-fight histrionics through the trash talk/general antics should deliver in a big way.

Paul is 2-0 as a boxer, and the decorated martial artist Askren will be making his pro boxing debut here.

Breaking: Internet personality turned pro boxer Jake Paul will fight former UFC fighter Ben Askren in an eight-round pro boxing match on April 17, Triller Founder Ryan Kavanaugh told @arielhelwani.

(h/t @ESPNRingside) pic.twitter.com/wJNpjdWZEc

— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) January 26, 2021

In Paul vs Askren, The Problem Child will be taking on the most seasoned pugilist he has ever faced to this point when he steps into the ring against Funky.

From Retirement to Boxing Debut

Askren hung up the gloves in November 2019 for a second time after tasting defeat to Demian Maia but is making his combat return here.

While Askren has captured welterweight belts in both ONE Championship and Bellator MMA, his base is in amateur wrestling. This is why a Youtube star with two pro bouts is a betting favorite over a former UFC fighter.

Paul had been actively campaigning for fights with names like Conor McGregor and Dillon Danis, but things have seemingly changed with the backdrop of McGregor’s UFC 257 stoppage loss to Dustin Poirier.

Paul has made comments on his social media about adding Askren to his “knockout meme collection” but how likely is Jake Paul to secure a stoppage win?

Odds to Win by KO/TKO

Ultimately, I don’t think there’s great value on either of these guys getting a stoppage victory.  So many people focus on when Jorge Masvidal quickly KO’d Askren but that flying knee would have dropped a horse. Askren has shown an aptitude for taking a shot in a broader sense through his fight efforts overall.

There are diametrically opposed instances of recency bias here, with people overestimating Paul’s stopping power because of his viral Nate Robinson KO. Conversely, people naively think Askren has a glass jaw because of that aforementioned Masvidal result.

Despite my thoughts, Askren seems to like his chances at halting the pugilistic proceedings though.

If someone were to win via stoppage though, it would likely be Jake Paul. Though he dusted some neophytes, he still has a pair of KO wins in boxing. Askren’s biggest moments with striking have come in ground and pound exchanges and not as much in the stand-up sequences.

I think with Askren’s ability to sell a fight and the fact that he is the most seasoned fighter Paul will have faced up until this point, I can see the odds swaying a bit more in the UFC vet’s favor.

I don’t know if he’ll become the outright favorite come fight time, but Funky Ben Askren could be a smaller underdog. I’ll go a step further and say that there’s great underdog value in betting Askren to win via decision.