Jake Paul's next opponent Andre August has a mysterious aura.
August, 35, appears to be the toughest test of Paul’s lucratively awarding but heavily inexperienced boxing career. His 10-1 record is stronger than all of Paul’s opponents in the squared circle and his five knock-out victories greater than the four Tommy Fury boasts.
Yet, barring the occasional hazy video, filmed shakily through ring ropes with an old smartphone, there is little footage of August in action. There are even fewer news stories or interviews from the fighter who could become one of the most talked about names in boxing if he manages to cut the brash Paul down to size. Nevertheless, despite the absence of the above, his life story is one of undoubted resilience.
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Boxing is a career filled with difficult choices and catch-22 situations, yet August has been tasked with those all his life. He hails from Beaumont, a city located in Southwestern Texas.
"Just extremely in the hood man, it was in the hood,” August said in an exclusive interview with Daily Star Sport, when asked about his experience growing up. “It was either beat down or get laid down. You got to join us or get rolled over.
"So I had to join the gangs, you know what I'm saying? And be down with whatever area outside of town I was in and I did that. It was just for me to stay safe as well."
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The Problem Child is back for this third fight of 2023. Jake Paul returns to the ring, live in Orlando on December 16. The YouTuber turned boxer will engage in a professional contest against Texas cruiserweight Andre August and you can watch it live on DAZN.
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“Because at first I was trying to go against the grain. But yeah, that's how it happened. [If you didn’t] You was jumped. You couldn’t trust nobody on the other side of town. So, I had to join.”
According to CrimeGrade.org, Beaumont is located in the second percentile for safety and crime, thus meaning 99% of cities nationwide are safer than the Texas city. Nevertheless, as is so often the case for young men, boxing managed to drag him away from the dangerous streets.
"It played a major role in my life," August said. "Even just keeping me away from the streets. It also brought me away from my hometown.
"It's kind of bittersweet, but I'm away from my hometown. So I'm out here living a good life, living an ok life with the boxing world.
"I still have my other things I do besides boxing. I still work and things like that. So, I’m just a man is trying to live his dream, man. I got my kids. Just being a dad, man.”
Curiously, there is a huge four-year gap between 2019 and 2023 where August did not have a single fight. While his boxing record is impressive, it has not come close to yielding the same financial awards of Paul. The reason why there is next to no footage of his performances is because television cameras are rarely seen, if at all, at any of August’s fights.
In November 2019, August overcame Santario Martin via a unanimous decision at the Arabia Shrine Center, Houston. A matter of months later, the pandemic took hold of the planet and stopped the sporting world in its tracks.
“The number one thing is the pandemic,” August said, when asked about the four years he went without fighting. “The pandemic was the one that started everything. Ever since the first year and the second year the funds were getting low.
"I had to take care of my family and be a man of the house so I had to work.”
August set about working for state farm in Texas as a means of making ends meet. Just as many things were during Covid-19, boxing was shelved. However, before his victorious return against Brandon Martin in August this year, he found himself in Arkansas, assisting a community devastated by a catastrophic tornado.
In Little Rock, 600 people were injured by a huge tornado that damaged more than 500 homes in the vicinity. “I went to Arkansas and we helped them with the catastrophe they had out there with the tornadoes,” he replied.
"Yeah, back some time ago. They had some tornadoes out there and I went to help them out with it. So I was going properly. We have a lot of folks out there that were in need.”
August would not divulge further into his community efforts. As is evident in his brief answers, he is a man of few words. He does not have the brash, grating confidence of Paul, who has made millions of dollars despite losing his only professional boxing match against an out-and-out boxer.
Should Paul continue in the squared circle or enter MMA as he has repeatedly threatened to do, he will likely make more money than he will against August. Except, it appears Paul has chosen August to make a point instead of a fortune.
The YouTuber has beaten Nate Diaz, Tyron Woodley (twice), Anderson Silva and Ben Askren, who all made their careers in MMA. His lack of experience fighting professional boxers is the stick everybody joyfully beats Paul with. But what does August think about his wealthy opponent’s boxing career?
"I'm not really too concerned about him and his career. I don't even watch his fights or anything like that,” August brutally admitted. Yet, do not mistake his demeanour. He understands the opportunity Paul presents.
"As far as me, it's been a long time coming,” he added. “So I'm here you know. I did what I did in the past as far as my amateur career. I did have a deep career as well in my pro career. I did it with a lot of self discipline, that’s just me being out here doing what I need to do, just like right now.”
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