Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse, Cleveland, Ohio:
Let’s face it, this was not Ali-Frazier, Hagler-Hearns, or Gatti-Ward. Was it sloppy and slow at times? Yes. However, some questions were definitively answered with Jake Paul and Tyron Woodley throwing down, and a couple were not. But when the smoke cleared it was Paul by split decision. And the scorecards had both fighters questioning them.
#PaulWoodley official scorecards.
— SHOWTIME Boxing (@ShowtimeBoxing) August 30, 2021
Do you agree with the judges? pic.twitter.com/EI9hGMbpIS
Paul wondered how in his home town, a judge wouldn’t side with him. And Woodley felt he landed the harder shots, and a 4th round left hand and right that almost put Paul through the ropes should have been a “knock down”.
.@TWooodley tags Paul in round 4 ?#PaulWoodley pic.twitter.com/8j9Gnh9jJD
— SHOWTIME Boxing (@ShowtimeBoxing) August 30, 2021
Much like as his MMA career was ending, Woodley didn’t let his hands fly. And he had that same issue here as well. In his post-fight presser, he alluded to it. However, most of the time when he would throw, it was from the outside. With that, Paul saw them coming from a mile away. But he definitely landed the harder shots.
And the reaction to Woodley losing by split decision, had responses more all over the place than the scorecards:
That’s it. Jake Paul vs Francis Ngannou is the only answer.
— Kay Hansen (@KayHansenMMA) August 30, 2021
These guys both suck
— Nathan Diaz (@NateDiaz209) August 30, 2021
I thought Tyron won but man the commentators don’t !
— Chris Weidman (@chrisweidman) August 30, 2021
All he had to do was walk around and they’re gonna give him the nod. Woodley brought the fight.
— Platinum Mike Perry (@PlatinumPerry) August 30, 2021
Jake can box no much but way better then we thought! T Wood make the ?but he don’t want to fight anymore ??♂️
— GILBERT BURNS DURINHO (@GilbertDurinho) August 30, 2021
Paul By Split Decision
For a second it looked as if post fight things would calm down between both teams. Then again, like they say; “looks can be deceiving”. Paul in speaking with Ariel Helwani gave some praise to Woodley. Although, he also mentioned issues with his legs (but not in a Deontay Wilder type excuse for anything). He said “…all respect to Woodley, he’s a Hall Of Famer”, he went on to apologize if anyone felt disrespected (in reference to the Momma Woodley situation). But then “The Chosen One” spoke with Helwani and in getting in Paul’s face demanded an immediate rematch.
Woodley did make some valid points in stating his case. And for all his positive attributes, Paul needs to work on conditioning. It’s his one glaring weakness. Especially if he wants to be taken seriously by the inside boxing community. But for right now, he’d be picked apart and brought into the real deep waters by any viable boxer… at the right weight class.
He did go through adversity for the first time and showing heart and grit, came through it. His height gives him the ability to pop shot at range, and he’s mastered that art. Paul’s also solid at countering, which he did well early.
Should they actually run it back; Woodley can’t just throw one punch at a time. Especially with Paul getting better with the combos. And he’ll have time to work on it too. Paul mentioned that he’s been training so much he’d like to “chill out for a second”. Which might really mean, nobody truly is on his radar right now, and actually wants to work on things.
