JAKE PAUL is the best promoter in combat sports since boxing legend Muhammad Ali, according to Professional Fighters League founder Donn Davis.
The Youtuber will compete in his seventh professional contest on February 26 when he faces Love Island star Tommy Fury in Saudi Arabia.
GettyJake Paul will face Tommy Fury in the Middle East later this month[/caption]
GettyMuhammad Ali is widely regarded as one of the greatest boxers of all time[/caption]
Paul, who boasted a substantial following before turning his hand to the fight game, has built on his online fame with six wins in the pro ranks against celebrities and MMA stars.
Now he is preparing to take on a fully-fledged boxer for the first time in his career.
But in the lead-up to the announcement of his bout with Fury, Paul also revealed he had signed a deal with the PFL to compete in MMA.
And Davis feels his organisation have attracted the best self-promoter in the world.
Speaking to TSN, he said: “If you look at each of them individually, Jake is the best marketer and promoter we’ve seen in combat sports ever. Ever. Maybe since Muhammad Ali.
“With Nakisa [Bidarian], he’s one of five people in the world that understand the economics and financials of pay-per-view. Maybe one of the five.
“So, we have one of the best businessmen in pay-per-view and we have one of the best promoters and marketers in pay-per-view now exclusively on the PFL platform to help us build that division. Couldn’t be more exciting.”
Ali is considered one of the greatest ever boxers, winning 56 of his 61 contests.
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He was also renowned for his impact outside the ring.
Davis’ comments have been widely criticised by the combat sports community.
And UFC legend Daniel Cormier was one high-profile ex-fighter to vocalise his disdain for the comparison.
He said: “Is there a comparison between Jake Paul and Muhammad Ali? Did I miss something?
“Because we know that Muhammad Ali is the greatest promoter of our generation, of his generation, of our generation.”
Paul is the bookies’ favourite to beat Fury – the brother of world heavyweight champion Tyson.
When the pair came face-to-face last month, Paul said: “He’s going to get knocked out by a Disney star, plain and simple, that’s it.
“You’ll see, you’ll see who the real professional boxer is. All these critics, all these people saying, ‘Fight a real boxer.’ Here we go.
“Tommy has so much to lose, his family is going to disown him when I knock him the f*** out, plain and simple, that’s it.
“Sorry Tyson, I love you but it’s over for your brother.”
To which 8-0 Fury responded: “I’ve beaten better people than you when I was 14 in the amateurs. I will school you. I’m not an MMA guy.
“I was beating people better than you when I was 14, when you was messing about on Disney Channel, so don’t come round here pretending you’re about it when you’re not.”