Paul's big-money fight is a circus but the YouTuber is no clown
The Guardian|November 14, 2024
Despite the absurd persona, his business savvy and support of female fighters must be acknowledged
Donald McRae
Paul's big-money fight is a circus but the YouTuber is no clown

Jake Paul is having his hands wrapped in the locker room as his older brother, Logan, who also became rich and famous on YouTube, speaks earnestly to him. "You've expanded your mind, your circle, your emotional intelligence and your capabilities," Logan tells Jake. "From making silly home videos to changing the entire landscape of combat sports. Everyone in this room knows just how powerful a being you are and that's why we're all here, including Netflix. One day, if I run for president, I'd be honored to have you as my vice-president or maybe secretary of defense. You'll be in charge of the red button. The all-powerful nuke that also happens to be at the end of your right hand."

At least Jake laughs softly when his brother mentions the absurdity of running for president on a gleaming new Netflix documentary. It leads the splurge of content which Netflix hopes will entice millions of viewers to watch Jake Paul's embarrassing fight against the 58-year-old Mike Tyson tomorrow night in Arlington.

In this sun-kissed corner of north Texas, a week after Donald Trump sealed his return to the White House, the hype intensifies. Jake and Logan, two brothers from Ohio aged 27 and 29, are ardent Trump supporters and, like their political hero, they peddle a constant stream of bullshit in the knowledge that some of it will eventually stick.

This story is from the November 14, 2024 edition of The Guardian.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.

This story is from the November 14, 2024 edition of The Guardian.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.

MORE STORIES FROM THE GUARDIANView All
The Guardian

New year refresh A month-by-month guide to sorting out your finances

Rupert Jones and Hilary Osborne offer a checklist of the vital tasks you need to tackle throughout the year, from filing your tax return to making the most of your holiday cash

time-read
9 mins  |
December 28, 2024
Lost in music How Britain's clubs are disappearing fast - and why they are worth rescuing
The Guardian

Lost in music How Britain's clubs are disappearing fast - and why they are worth rescuing

When the patrons of Watford's Przym nightclub celebrated New Year's Eve a year ago, they were marking the end of an era - or rather, seven eras.

time-read
5 mins  |
December 28, 2024
The Guardian

Nissan shares down 15% as investors react to plan for merger

Shares in the Japanese carmaker Nissan have taken their biggest fall since August's stock market sell-off, as investors turned their attention to the company's planned tie-up with domestic rivals Honda and Mitsubishi.

time-read
1 min  |
December 28, 2024
Climbing out of trouble? Rise in share price suggests BA's turbulent days may be over
The Guardian

Climbing out of trouble? Rise in share price suggests BA's turbulent days may be over

It's been a long and turbulent time since anyone used British Airways' old slogan \"the world's favourite airline\" with a straight face.

time-read
2 mins  |
December 28, 2024
The Guardian

North-south divide flips as EU's periphery beats core economies

The European Central Bank is facing a tough balancing act in 2025, trying to navigate a reversal of fortunes in eurozone economies as the hardest-hit nations of the 2010s debt crisis outperform the traditional core.

time-read
2 mins  |
December 28, 2024
Number of retailers on the brink of collapse up by 25%
The Guardian

Number of retailers on the brink of collapse up by 25%

Footfall levels up 18% on Christmas Eve compared with last year.

time-read
2 mins  |
December 28, 2024
The Guardian

London-listed mining company halts operations in Mozambique

The London-listed mining company Gemfields said yesterday it had temporarily halted its ruby mining operation in Mozambique after groups \"took advantage\" of political unrest to attempt to invade and set fire to its site, resulting in two deaths.

time-read
1 min  |
December 28, 2024
The Guardian

Aid convoy reaches besieged area of Sudanese capital

An aid convoy has reached a besieged area of Khartoum for the first time since Sudan's civil war broke out in April 2023, bringing food and medicines in a country where half of the people are at risk of starvation.

time-read
2 mins  |
December 28, 2024
Mexico The mayor who turned wasteland into a utopia
The Guardian

Mexico The mayor who turned wasteland into a utopia

Mexico City's mayor, Clara Brugada, has never been afraid to court controversy and has taken some imaginative steps in her efforts to undo decades of economic and cultural inequality.

time-read
2 mins  |
December 28, 2024
Crisis on cat island On Aoshima, is time finally running out for human and feline inhabitants?
The Guardian

Crisis on cat island On Aoshima, is time finally running out for human and feline inhabitants?

The reason for Aoshima's nickname is clear before we set foot on the island.

time-read
3 mins  |
December 28, 2024