YouTube star Jake Paul has revealed he and Floyd Mayweather faked a street altercation to go ‘viral‘.
Last month footage emerged on social media of Paul running from the 50-0 fighter and his entourage after leaving a Cavaliers-Heat game in Miami.
The clip showed Paul and Mayweather – flanked by several people, including security – standing just feet from each other, while members of Mayweather’s team threatened to ‘bust him up’.
Paul, who himself boasts a 6-0 record as a professional boxer, took to Twitter after the fracas to challenge the 46-year-old to a clash in the ring. He said: “Floyd if you want to fight one-on-one, we can do that but don’t try to hop out of 3 cars 25 dudes deep trying to jump me while I’m trying to enjoy my Wednesday night.”
Before later adding: “Floyd will not see me one-on-one in a real fight. That’s a fact. His team has hit my team numerous times to do one of his ‘exhibitions’. Now he ambushes me. Come see me in the ring, real fight, no exhibition robbing fans bulls***.”
However, speaking on The Breakdown podcast with Sensei and Wade, Paul admitted the situation was a setup. He said: “We were like, ‘let’s set this up and make it go viral’.”
The 26-year-old then took out his phone and showed a picture of him posing with Mayweather. “This was us at dinner planning it out,” he continued. “You know what’s crazy, I was debating on whether or not to reveal that the whole Floyd thing was fake. But I was just like, ‘f*** it’.”
Fans had thought the incident was a continuation of the fighters’ beef, which first started when Paul stole Mayweather’s hat during the build-up to his fight with the former Disney Channel star’s brother, Logan.
But it seems they’ve now settled their differences and share a close working relationship.
