- Leon Edwards is making his UFC return against Belal Muhammad on March 13.
- The welterweight contender has recently asked about his prediction on Paul vs. Askren.
- Edwards believes Jake Paul will defeat Ben Askren in their boxing match on April 24.
After more than a year-and-a-half sitting on the sidelines, Leon Edwards will finally be making his return to mixed martial arts. He’s been active with the media leading into fight night. During a recent interview, the welterweight contender gave his prediction on Paul vs. Askren.
This prediction isn’t sitting well with many MMA fans. Today, we’ll discuss how Leon believes this upcoming boxing match will play out. We will also take a look at the odds for this upcoming bout.
Let’s get into it!
Jake Paul Continues Making Enemies in Combat Sports
YouTube star Jake Paul is just a couple of years into his boxing career. Somehow, the 24-year-old seems to be getting more attention than some of the sport’s top fighters. He’s now 2-0 in the sport and has a bout against former UFC star Ben Askren lined up for April 24.
Many have taken issue with Jake’s transition into the fight game. Rather than a slow, traditional move up the rankings, he is looking for fights against high-profile fighters with limited experience. It’s the smart move, yet continues to rub fighters that have dedicated their lives to the sport in the wrong way.
Paul’s feud with Canelo Alvarez is continuing. Canelo has criticized the Paul brothers for entering into boxing without paying their dues. Jake then called the super-middleweight champion a “hater” and took aim at Canelo’s recent choice of opponents.
Tommy Fury, the younger brother of heavyweight champion Tyson Fury, is also engaging with Jake on social media. The UK light-heavyweight has challenged the YouTuber on several occasions recently. Jake has yet to formally accept any of the call-outs.
Many fighters across MMA and boxing have been pushing to fight against Jake Paul. They’ll need to wait and see how things play out with Ben Askren, though. This is an intriguing fight when considering the clash of styles between these men.
Fans and fighters seem torn on how this fight will play out. This week, one of the top welterweights in MMA spoke about how he believes this fight will go.
Here’s a Look at Leon Edward’s Prediction on Paul vs. Askren
Just about everyone in the combat sports community seems to have an opinion on the Paul-Askren fight. There are so many questions leading into this fight. Many are questioning how Ben manages to fare in the boxing ring for the first time.
Askren was never known for his striking skills. Instead, he used his lifetime of wrestling to take opponents to the ground where he was at his best. He seems to be taking this challenge seriously and clearly does not want to add to Jake Paul’s highlight reel.
Leon Edwards, one of the top welterweight fighters in the UFC, isn’t too optimistic about “Funky’s” chances. He seems to feel that Ben’s inexperience in boxing will hurt him here. Leon gave his official prediction on Paul vs. Askren during an interview this week.
“He’s going to get knocked out, I’m serious,” Edwards said. “It’s going to be bad for MMA, man! I don’t know who agreed to this [laughs]. I don’t think it’s going to be good for MMA and he’s going to get chinned. But, it’s going to be funny to see.”
MMA fans around the world are hoping that Leon’s prediction turns out to be incorrect. Jake Paul has made himself enemy-number-one in combat sports. There are many hoping to see Askren put an end to his fighting career.
The oddsmakers seem to agree with Leon. Now is a great time to break down the new betting odds on this upcoming matchup.
Breaking Down the New Odds on Paul vs. Askren
It’s amazing to see how quickly things can change in boxing. It’s now exactly clear how, yet the fight between Jake Paul and Ben Askren seems to be one of the most-talked-about matchups of 2021. Many are curious to see how things play out between the two men.
More fans are now choosing to head to Bovada to bet on this matchup. This site is well-known for offering amazing odds on every major boxing fight taking place in the US. It is currently offering some tremendous wagering options for the Paul-Askren bout.
Jake comes in as the -265 favorite here. He showed some calmness and real power against Nate Robinson last year. Of course, that performance came against a man with no experience in boxing whatsoever. Those that agree with Leon Edward’s prediction on Paul vs. Askren may want to take these odds.
Ben Askren has years of experience in combat sports. Can he ever compete at a high-level in boxing? Probably not. He is a true competitor, though. Bovada currently lists him as the +205 underdog to get the win on April 24.
There will be plenty of more things said heading into this fight. Hopefully, the matchup lives up to the hype. Stay tuned for a more in-depth betting breakdown of this exciting clash over the next couple of weeks.
What is your prediction on Paul vs. Askren? Let us know in the comments section below.
