its hard to gauge just how big of a star he has become in the last month, but he is definitely a star now. did you see how many celebrities and sports legends were in attendance? they have millions of followers who hear about buds impeccable performance live. the number of people who know who he is, regardless of any interest they may feel, has multiplied tenfold overnight.
Boxing never has just one face, and where one face should fall off the next is ready to take that position. Bud is however the current p4p #1 until Usyk or Inoue does something equally impressive.
I don't follow him, I follow boxing. So I only know him in the context of boxing. And since most people don't follow boxing at all - the most likely person they associate boxing with (apart from relics like mike tyson who's popularity comes fron the past) surely has to be Jake Paul. To add: I encounter the label 'face of boxing' mostly in advertising and marketing for the next fight of some fighter I would not give the title to if it was in my power...
It is, ask anyone of any boxers they know and Jake Paul will be the top active boxer. Though I think most people still don't really think of him as a boxer more an entertainer/media personality. Also re the celebrities etc at the Camelot vs Crawford fight, they were there because of Canelo, not Crawford, if it were Crawford against a different undisputed champion there is no way they would have shown up compared to if it were Canelo against an undisputed champ.
I think we have to go with Usyk if we're being honest with ourselves and each other I mean who else has sold out in the UK multiple times, including 90,000 in his last fight, 60,000 of which in 24 hours, and 65,000 for his first HW title shot And also sold out in Russia, Latvia, Poland x 2, Saudi numerous times, Germany, Ukraine and the US? Usyk sells out everywhere he goes and he goes all over the shop
I don't follow Jake Paul either and I've seen him in the ring. I'd hardly call anything I seen of him as boxing. He's more WWF/WWE to me. From the way he promotes himself to how he conducts himself before, during, and after his bouts. His opponents are guys whom are NOT boxers. They are other Youtubers, retired MMA guys, and an elder boxing Hall of Famer. My son showed me some clip of Jake with his brother before this combat sport hustle they are doing. They are pretty much a couple privileged goof balls. I just don't see "face of boxing" being how I would describe him.
I know what the "Face of Boxing" is referring to.......... Jake Paul doesn't come to mind as a representation in any of the categories you mentioned. -Business.....he promotes himself and the fight card, but again, it puts me in the mind of WWE the way he goes about doing so being that there would be so much involved with the show that has nothing to do with the sport. -Presence in media.....he's popular because of his social media presence. And that same social media presence is what he used/uses to keep himself relevant/popular. No one is having shows to breakdown his fights, the technique he will use vs his opponent. Hell, there's more media surround WHO (a 60 year old Mike Tyson, or a 100lb undersize Tank Davis, etc) is his opponent rather than the actual match up..... -Common People's Head......the common people you are referring to are his actual fans/followers from social media. They follow whatever he is doing. Let's say he decides to put out a rap album this summer...... Will he then become the face of hip hop? HE can say it all he wants, but those who support the culture are the ones who identify who the FACE of that culture is.....not the "Common People"......
I like Crawford is both a fighter and a person but he simply isn't a star. He doesn't have that x-factor. He's never been a star and he probably won't ever be. He's not that charismatic of a person and his style isn't all that conducive to FOTY contenders. And that's okay but let's not try to anoint him as the face of boxing, which is a silly idea anyway.