The bad reputation of Jake Paul before defeating Mike Tyson

At the age of 27, Jake Paul is one of the most controversial figures both in the media and boxing world, thanks to his antics and reckless personality.

In fact, it is the countless controversies and scandals surrounding Paul that have helped maintain his fame and wealth as a YouTuber. Over 20 million subscribers follow him to watch his antics, as noted by Business Insider.

Currently, Jake Paul is making a name for himself in the boxing world. On November 16th, Jake Paul won by a score of 78-74 against 58-year-old former world heavyweight champion Mike Tyson. The YouTuber called this “the biggest fight in boxing history.”

The event attracted 80,000 fans at the AT&T stadium to watch the return of the legendary Mike Tyson, along with millions of viewers online through various platforms.

From Disney Star to YouTube “Hero”

Jake Paul’s Dangerous Prank Videos on YouTube

Jake Paul became notorious for his dangerous and often controversial prank videos on YouTube. His channel was filled with outrageous and reckless stunts, many of which posed serious risks to himself and others. Some of the most infamous videos included:

Setting Fires in the Backyard

In one of his pranks, Paul filmed himself setting mattresses on fire in his backyard, creating huge flames. This stunt was not only a fire hazard but also endangered his neighbors and the surrounding area.

2. Motorcycle Stunts on Public Streets

Jake Paul often filmed himself performing reckless motorcycle stunts, such as high-speed rides on public streets and jumping through obstacles, without any regard for safety. These actions violated traffic laws and posed risks to other drivers and pedestrians.

3. Building an Inappropriate Waterslide

One of his pranks involved building a massive waterslide that led directly into a pool in his backyard. The stunt, while entertaining to some of his audience, was deemed reckless and dangerous, especially given the potential for injury.

4. Throwing Parties with No Regard for Neighbors

Jake Paul often filmed wild parties at his house with large crowds, loud music, and chaotic scenes, disturbing the peace in his residential neighborhood. This kind of behavior led to complaints from neighbors and eventually legal action.

These dangerous pranks, while gaining millions of views, contributed to his negative reputation, leading to tensions with his neighbors and eventually, significant backlash from both the public and authorities. His actions raised questions about the responsibility of influencers to maintain a safe and respectful online presence.

Born in 1997, Jake Paul began his rise to fame on the Vine platform in 2013. With his bold, humorous style, Paul attracted over 5.3 million followers. When Vine shut down, Paul had already amassed over 2 billion views.

This fame led Paul to land a role in the Disney Channel sitcom Bizaardvark in 2016. In this role, he played Dirk, a host of a fictional social media channel. The character was a reflection of Paul’s real-life persona: someone willing to do anything for fame.

However, his career at Disney didn’t last long. Just a year later, Jake Paul was fired mid-season due to scandals related to his personal YouTube channel. The videos he posted made it unbearable for his neighbors in Beverly Grove, Los Angeles.

At the time, Paul was 20 years old and had formed his infamous YouTube team, “Team 10.” With over 8.5 million YouTube subscribers, he filmed pranks and dangerous stunts in his neighborhood.

From setting mattresses on fire in his backyard, performing motorcycle stunts on city streets, to building a waterslide leading straight into a pool, Paul turned the neighborhood into a “hell on earth,” a “war zone.” Frustrated, the neighbors requested government intervention and even filed a class-action lawsuit, demanding $2.5 million in damages.

After being fired by Disney, Jake Paul completely shifted his focus to YouTube. There, he built his personal brand around sensational content. Videos like “I Lost My Virginity” and pranks involving violence and sexuality were repeatedly criticized for being inappropriate for younger audiences.

Paul told his young viewers that education wasn’t important because, despite not being good at school, he still became rich and famous. As a result, the YouTuber suggested that other kids should follow his lead.

Later, leveraging his YouTube fame, Jake Paul ventured into business. However, his business projects sparked controversy. In 2018, Paul launched the platform Edfluence, promising to teach young people how to become social media influencers.

Initially, users only needed to pay $7 to join, but later they discovered that they had to pay an additional $57 to access the full content. The videos they received only included basic tips like “get a phone” or “if you like makeup, make makeup videos.”

Boxer or “Scandal Expert”?

In addition to his controversial career, Jake Paul’s personal life has been just as scandalous. He once staged “fake marriages” with two other famous YouTubers, Erika Costell and Tana Mongeau, purely to attract views.

Although these events drew large audiences and generated millions of dollars in media value, Mongeau later revealed that the marriage was just a stunt. She felt exploited. Tana shared how she felt abandoned and disrespected after the fake wedding with Paul. Meanwhile, Erika Costell revealed that their relationship was mostly for show and lacked depth.

In 2021, Jake Paul faced accusations of sexual assault from two women. TikToker Justine Paradise accused Paul of forcing her to engage in sexual acts at a party at the “Team 10” house. Model Railey Lollie revealed that Paul had called her a “bait” – a reference to trapping men into prison for having relations with minors – and claimed he had harassed her when she was working with him at the age of 17.

Jake denied all allegations, but the case sparked widespread criticism and calls for a boycott.

In 2020, the FBI raided Jake Paul’s home in Calabasas, California, seizing multiple firearms as part of an ongoing investigation. The YouTuber also faced criticism for his irresponsible actions during the COVID-19 pandemic.

In July 2020, he hosted a large party at his house, disregarding social distancing guidelines. When criticized, Jake not only refused to apologize but boldly stated that the deadly virus was “a hoax.”

Realizing his YouTube career wouldn’t last forever, Jake Paul transitioned to professional boxing in 2020. Despite mockery that it was just another stunt, Jake proved his ability. Starting with a fight against AnEsonGib in 2020, Jake went on to achieve consecutive victories against notable names like Nate Robinson, Ben Askren, and Tyron Woodley.

Jake Paul vs. Mike Tyson: The Showdown at AT&T Stadium, Dallas (USA) on November 16, 2024

According to the data analysis website Social Blade, when Jake Paul first entered the world of boxing, he continued to post videos on his YouTube channel. The channel maintained a stable subscriber count throughout 2022.

However, Paul only gained 100,000 subscribers in the final month of 2022. This trend indicated that viewers may have grown tired of him, or that his influence was waning after transitioning to boxing.

In contrast, thanks to his growing technical skills, ability to attract crowds, and his media presence, Jake Paul became a “boxer” capable of filling arenas and generating millions of dollars in revenue per fight through pay-per-view channels.

On November 16, Jake Paul faced off against legend Mike Tyson in the biggest fight of his career. Despite being criticized by many in the industry as an “entertainment boxer,” Paul received support from Tyson himself. Tyson argued that YouTubers like Paul were helping bring attention to boxing among younger audiences and reviving interest in the sport amidst the rise of UFC.

Jake Paul also declared that boxing was his “true passion,” bringing him “fire in his heart” every day. The former YouTuber stated that the sport provided an excitement that YouTube or acting could never compare to.