Tyron Woodley has insisted that Jake Paul deserves respect for his boxing abilities after suffering a devastating knockout at the hands of the YouTube star.
Paul stopped Woodley in the sixth round of their rematch on Saturday night, having outpointed the former UFC champion when they first fought one another in August.
The result saw Paul, 24, extend his unbeaten run to 5-0 as a professional boxer, with knockout victories over each opponent he has faced.
Mixed martial artist Woodley had never boxed professionally before taking on Paul earlier this year, and after being beaten by his fellow American for the second time, the 39-year-old said: “At some point, you’re gonna have to start putting a little respect on Jake’s name.
“I never really disrespected him as a power puncher – that’s something we knew, that’s why my defence was so tight.
“I told you guys I was in shape, I told you I was ready to fight, I told y'all I was coming and I would look in better shape than he was.
“I thought I was winning, it wasn’t a landslide. I went back and I looked at [the KO], and I’m like: ‘Why the f*** did I drop my hand?
“I had both hands up, I was ready, I knew it was coming, I was ready to block the overhand. I don’t know if he delayed it, [but] even if he didn’t delay it, I don't know why I dropped my hand.
“In this sport, it can take literally one mistake. I blocked so many punches. Had he dropped his hand on me, the same s*** would have happened.”
Woodley was cut by the UFC earlier this year after suffering his fourth straight loss in the promotion, with the first of those consecutive defeats seeing the wrestling specialist drop his welterweight title to current champion Kamaru Usman.
Woodley did not clarify whether his next fight will take place in boxing or MMA, but said: “I’m not done. Please do not look at me with sorrow [in your] eyes, shaking your head.
“I f****d a lot of people up, a lot of people had to have that talk in locker rooms, a lot of coaches had to go back to the drawing board.
“A lot of people, I saw it in their faces, it broke their heart when I took that from them.”
