Jake Paul vs. Ben Askren will be 4 hours PPV with live music

By Boxing News - 03/17/2021 - Comments

By Dan Ambrose: Next month’s April 17th Jake Paul vs. Ben Askren pay-per-view event on Triller will be a 4-hour event with live music from numerous artists at the Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, Georgia. This card is more for fans of YouTuber Jake Paul than for true boxing fans, which is why the decision by Triller to turn it into a mini-music concert might work.

The event will be a mix of a music concert with boxing in between, which will please some fans and turn away many others. This idea can work if the music acts are shuffled quickly rather than prolonged entertainment.

According to Mike Coppinger, these are the following musical groups/performers for Triller’s Paul vs. Asken card:

  • Justin Bieber
  • The Black Keys
  • Doja Cat
  • Saweetie
  • Diplo
  • Major Lazer
  • Mt. Westmore: a group with Snoop Dogg, Ice Cube, Too Short and E-40

While it may please some boxing fans to watch different music groups in between the sporting events, it’ll be off-putting to others who don’t want to be subjected to this. It’s great if you’re a fan that likes this kind of music, but if you’re not, it’s just going to be noise.

Jake is facing former UFC star Askren, who will be making his boxing debut. Logically, Askren should have an advantage over Jake Paul, given that he’s been involved in combat sports for many years, but he doesn’t look like he’s suited for stand-up fighting.

Easily the best fight on the card is former WBA light-welterweight champion Regis Prograis (25-1, 21 KOs) taking on journeyman Ivan Redkach (23-5-1, 18 KOs) in a 10 round match.

Image: Jake Paul vs. Ben Askren will be 4 hours PPV with live music

It’s not a great fight by any means, but it’s worlds better than the Youtube match between Jake Paul and former UFC fighter Askren. At least, Redkach and Prograis were brought up in the sport of boxing.

Redkach, 34, is coming off a one-sided 12 round decision loss to Danny Garcia in January of last year. Danny couldn’t dent Redkach’s chin, so it’s reasonable to assume that Prograis won’t be able to knock him out either.

I don’t expect Redkach to be competitive in the least against Prograis, as he’s not in the same league as him talent-wise.

The other fights on Triller’s April 17th card are as follows:

  • Former light heavyweight champion Antonio Tarver battling 41-year-old former UFC fighter Frank Mir, who will be making his debut. This is a mismatch. Despite Tarver being 52-years-old, he still has so much experience in boxing, and Mir has zilch going for him. Tarver last fought in 2015, fighting to a 12 round draw against Steve Cunningham.
  • Light heavyweight Joe Fournier (8-0, 8 KOs) faces music icon Andres Felipe Robledo Londono. Fournier is a former boxer, while Reykon is a music guy. You get the picture of how this one will end.