Jake Paul is facing allegations of steroid use after a substantial and rapid body transformation in the build-up to his cruiserweight boxing match against Mike Tyson.
The online influencer who has turned his hand to boxing in recent years has come under fire from fans on social media, professional fighters, and experts after pouring about 30 pounds of muscle onto his body in just a few months, with plenty of people pointing the finger, claiming it's impossible to put on so much muscle mass in such little time.
He’s set to fight the former undisputed world heavyweight champion, now 58, in November, and while Tyson himself hasn’t raised the issue publicly, it’s clear many in the boxing community don’t buy the rapid transformation as natural.
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Mike Tyson & Jake Paul's pro records (as of 25/08/24) |
||
|---|---|---|
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Mike Tyson |
Jake Paul |
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Fights |
58 |
11 |
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Wins |
50 |
10 |
|
Losses |
6 |
1 |
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No contests |
2 |
|
From the Nate Diaz fight to now, the Problem Child looks completely different
A non-believer wrote: “This just screams roids, you don't gain this – especially his chest area – in that short amount of time."
Another said: “Jake is 1000% on something, the body transformation on him is something created in a lab.”
The side-by-side photo above shows Jake Paul before his fight with Nate Diaz, which took place on the 5th of August 2023, on the right-hand side, and then what he looked like before his fight with MMA star Mike Perry, which took place last month on the 20th of July, on the left-hand side. As you can see, he looks a lot bigger and a lot more bloated than he did this time last year.
It is not just his body transformation that has raised eyebrows, however, Jake has also suffered from a noticeable increase in acne this year, a common side effect of steroid use, despite it not being visibly prevalent in his years of teenage fame. This has led many to say it’s a “slam dunk” case of the use of illegal steroids.
However, these allegations aren’t brand new. When Jake Paul beat Mike Perry last month, the mixed martial artist added fuel to the fire regarding the gain in mass, saying he "doesn’t know how someone does it … without a cheat code."
Many professionals saw the weight gain as somewhat irregular at the time, with UFC legend Conor McGregor referring to the American as “juiced out of his head” on social media.
Expert Weighs in on Jake Paul's Muscle Gain
It’s not just fans and pros who’ve been suspicious. Dr. Stuart Fischer, author of Little Book of Big Medical Emergencies, also feels something is going on with the dramatic weight gain.
"His appearance is consistent with adult use of steroids - probably anabolic steroids," he told In Touch. "These are very dangerous drugs. They can lead to circulatory problems, hormonal problems, high blood pressure, and even heart attacks."
With mounting evidence and claims of wrongdoing, it looks like Jake Paul, now 27, is risking his future for short-term gain. His bout against Iron Mike was already intriguing, but now the November match-up looks to have a sprinkle more controversy behind it - inevitable given Paul’s history.
