Jake Paul vs. Ben Askren Was a Pay-Per-View Knockout with More than 1 Million Buys and Counting
It’s likely to surpass the 2020 title fight between heavyweight champion Tyson Fury and Deontay Wilder.
![jake-paul-ben-askren-GettyImages-1313062951](https://www.maxim.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/jake-paul-ben-askren-gettyimages-1313062951.png?w=788&h=444&crop=1)
Jake Paul’s first round knockout of Ben Askren in a mega-hyped boxing match that headlined last Saturday’s Triller Fight Club card was a smashing pay-per-view success.
According to a report from MMA Fighting, the event has already registered north of 1 million pay-per-view sales, and that figure is expected to reach the 1.2 to 1.6 million range by the time the final numbers are tallied.
For context, January’s UFC 257 card, which was headlined by a rematch between MMA megastar Conor McGregor and top lightweight contender Dustin Poirier, sold 1.2 million pay-per-views in the United States and 1.6 internationally.
The 2020 rematch between heavyweight boxing stars Tyson Fury and Deontay Wilder, meanwhile, reportedly sold roughly 1.2 million pay-per-views, all-told.
Much of the success of Triller’s latest fight card can be attributed to Paul, who has more than 20 subscribers followers on YouTube, and close to 15 million followers on Instagram.
Askren, the former Olympic wrestler who Paul knocked out with a first-round right hook, previously held titles in Bellator and ONE Championship and also fought in the UFC before he retired from MMA in 2019.
The event’s four-fight main card also featured appearances from former IBF cruiserweight champion Steve Cunningham, former UFC heavyweight champion Frank Mir, and reggaeton artist Reykon, as well as musical performances by The Black Keys, Doja Cat, Ice Cube, Snoop Dogg, and Justin Bieber—none of which are likely to have hurt pay-per-view sales.
Triller’s next fight card is scheduled for June 5. That event will see pound-for-pound talent Teofimo Lopez attempt to defend his WBA, IBF, WBO and Ring lightweight titles opposite Australia’s George Kambosos Jr.
Paul, who is now 3-0, doesn’t yet have another fight booked, but has already made post-fight callouts of McGregor and the Irishman’s long-time rival, Nate Diaz. Whoever he ends up fighting, it’s likely to be another blockbuster.
Askren, on the other hand, is now 0-1 as a professional boxer, and is unlikely to compete in the squared circle again.