Jake Paul Ben Askren: Fight KO, Purse & Lung Donations

Jake Paul knocked out Ben Askren in a 2021 boxing match. Four years later, Paul donated $500,000 toward Askren’s life-saving double lung transplant. This article covers the fight, the outcome, and how two former rivals ended up on opposite ends of a medical crisis that put Askren in the hospital for weeks in 2025.

Fight Date: April 17, 2021 · Result: Jake Paul TKO win, Round 1 · Event Type: Cruiserweight boxing · Donation: $500,000 from Jake Paul · Transplant Cost: $2,000,000

The table below compiles the key facts verified across multiple sources, from the 2021 knockout to the 2025 transplant fundraising.

Did Ben Askren and Jake Paul fight?

Jake Paul and Ben Askren did fight, facing off on April 17, 2021 at a cruiserweight boxing event in Georgia. The crossover bout between the YouTuber-turned-boxer and the former UFC fighter drew attention for its unusual pairing — Paul a rising combat sports figure known more for his online presence than traditional fighting credentials, and Askren a decorated wrestler with limited boxing experience who had transitioned out of MMA two years prior. The event capitalized on their contrasting backgrounds and existing rivalry, marketed as a spectacle as much as a competitive match.

Fight details

The fight took place under cruiserweight boxing rules at an event held in Georgia. Ben Askren entered the ring as a former UFC competitor and two-time NCAA wrestling champion who had represented the United States at the 2008 Beijing Olympics. Jake Paul came in with an undefeated professional boxing record built against lesser-known opponents, seeking to add a recognizable name to his win column. The match was marketed as a crossover spectacle that drew pay-per-view interest despite questions about the competitive legitimacy of the pairing.

Event context

The April 2021 bout fit within a pattern of celebrity boxing matches that had gained traction in the combat sports world, with Paul positioning himself as a serious contender rather than a novelty act. Askren, who had retired from MMA in 2019 with a 19-2 record after fighting just three times in UFC, represented the type of established fighter Paul needed to validate his boxing career. The event attracted mainstream sports media coverage and commentary on the evolving boundaries between entertainment and competition in combat sports.

Did Jake Paul knock out Ben Askren?

Jake Paul knocked out Ben Askren in the first round, securing a technical knockout victory that ended the bout in decisive fashion. The stoppage came less than two minutes into the first round, with Paul landing a right hand that dropped Askren and brought a swift conclusion to their professionally promoted boxing match.

Round-by-round recap

The fight lasted under two minutes. From the opening bell, Paul pressed forward with confidence while Askren looked to establish distance, unable to implement the wrestling-based strategy that had defined his MMA career. The end came when Paul connected with a clean right hand that sent Askren to the canvas. The former UFC fighter beat the count but could not recover before the referee stepped in to stop the bout, awarding Paul the technical knockout victory.

Knockout moment

Video footage of the first-round stoppage circulated widely, showing Paul connecting with a single right hand that ended the fight immediately. Sports Illustrated noted the decisive nature of the finish, with Askren unable to recover from the punch before the referee’s intervention. The knockout marked Paul’s most significant professional boxing victory up to that point, validating his claim to be taken seriously as a fighter despite skepticism from the combat sports establishment.

How much money did Ben Askren get from Jake Paul fight?

Ben Askren reportedly earned around $500,000 from his 2021 boxing match against Jake Paul, a figure consistent with the disclosed purse amounts for the event. This amount reflected payment for a single high-profile bout rather than a sustained fight career, with the payout representing the financial opportunity that comes from crossing over into celebrity boxing as an established name.

Purse breakdown

Fight purses in crossover celebrity boxing events often lack the transparent disclosure seen in traditional professional boxing. The reported $500,000 figure for Askren aligns with industry patterns where established names from other combat sports receive guaranteed money regardless of outcome. Paul, as the promoter and headliner, commanded a larger share of the revenue while offering opponents guaranteed purses as an incentive to accept the match.

Reported earnings

Askren’s $500,000 purse from the Paul fight stood in contrast to his UFC earnings, which were limited by his brief tenure in the organization — he fought just three times in the octagon, winning only one bout. The celebrity boxing opportunity provided a significant payday that his limited MMA career had not generated, highlighting the financial dynamics that draw fighters from declining promotions into crossover events.

Who paid for Ben Askren’s lung transplant?

Jake Paul and Dana White both made significant donations toward Ben Askren’s double lung transplant, with Paul’s contribution reaching $500,000 according to multiple reports. The UFC President, who had engaged in public disputes with Paul over the years, joined the YouTuber-turned-boxer in supporting a former UFC fighter through a life-threatening medical crisis. Help Hope Live, a nonprofit organization that allows tax-deductible donations, managed the official fundraiser page for Askren’s treatment.

Donors involved

Sports Illustrated reported Jake Paul’s $500,000 donation toward Askren’s lung transplant, making it one of the largest single contributions to the fundraising effort. Dana White also made a significant donation, though the exact amount was not publicly disclosed. The Times of India noted that Askren spoke to journalist Ariel Helwani about both donations, expressing gratitude for the unexpected support from individuals he had complicated relationships with in the public eye.

Financial aid sources

Help Hope Live, a verified medical fundraising platform, hosted the official donation page for Askren’s double lung transplant procedure. The organization confirmed that donations made through their platform are tax-deductible for contributors, providing transparency and legitimacy to the fundraising effort. The Times of India reported that Askren’s family started the fundraiser after insurance refused to cover the double lung transplant, which cost approximately $2 million.

How did Jake Paul save Ben Askren?

Jake Paul saved Ben Askren by donating $500,000 toward his double lung transplant after learning of the former UFC fighter’s life-threatening medical situation. The donation, announced after Paul’s June 28, 2025 victory over Julio Cesar Chavez Jr., provided the largest single contribution to a fundraiser that helped cover the approximately $2 million procedure cost. Askren had been hospitalized throughout June 2025 with pneumonia combined with a severe staph infection that had developed from an initial hospitalization in May.

Donation claims

Sports Illustrated reported that Paul initially promised to donate toward Askren’s procedure after his June 28 victory, without specifying the amount at that time. The subsequent disclosure of the $500,000 figure made headlines given the public history between Paul and members of the MMA community, including past criticism from Dana White. The donation represented a significant gesture given that Paul’s health insurance did not cover the double lung transplant procedure, forcing the Askren family to seek outside funding.

Life-saving impact

Ben Askren spent approximately three weeks on life support before receiving the double lung transplant, according to Help Hope Live documentation. He was placed on the donor list on June 24, 2025, after his health deteriorated rapidly following a staph infection that developed into pneumonia. His wife Amy announced the successful transplant on Facebook, marking a turning point in a medical crisis that had left the former athlete fighting for survival. The combat sports community’s fundraising effort, combined with the major donations from Paul and White, enabled the procedure that Askren’s insurance would not cover.

What this means: The timeline reveals how rapidly the situation escalated from hospitalization to transplant, with major donations materializing within days of Paul’s promise.

“Jake Paul and Dana both donated and were very generous.”

— Ben Askren, speaking to Ariel Helwani (Times of India)

“Smaller donations from struggling fans carried the same weight as thousands given by millionaires.”

— Ben Askren (Times of India)

The trajectory from April 2021 to July 2025 traces an improbable arc — from rivals exchanging strikes in a Georgia ring to one man writing a six-figure check to save the other’s life. Ben Askren’s hospitalization stripped away the bravado that typically defines public exchanges between combat sports personalities, exposing a vulnerability that even critics found difficult to dismiss. Jake Paul, who had publicly clashed with UFC officials and MMA fighters throughout his boxing career, chose to contribute more than any other single donor toward a procedure his own health insurance would not cover. Dana White, whose relationship with Paul had included sharp public criticism, joined the effort without hesitation.

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Four years post-knockout, Paul donated $500,000 amid Ben Askren’s lung transplant after a staph infection ravaged his lungs.

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