Butterbean is back and wants to fight Jake Paul. (Watch the video at bottom.)
The cult hero boxer, once dubbed the “king of the four-rounders,” said he’s down from about 500 pounds to 285 pounds, has new hips and is no longer in need of a wheelchair.
Social media star Paul has built a boxing career fighting over-the-hill opponents such as Mike Tyson and recently Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. The 58-year-old Butterbean, whose real name is Eric Esch, wants a piece of that.
Host Ariel Helwani pressed Butterbean to make sure he was serious about previous claims he wanted to throw down with Paul (12-1 with 7 knockouts), now ranked 14th by the WBA in the cruiserweight division.
“Oh man, I wanna fight Jake so bad,” Butterbean said. He claimed Paul insulted him years ago, pushing him to regain his health “until I’m ready to knock him out. And guess what? I’m here.”
“He’s been sort of the pot at the end of the rainbow?” Helwani asked.
“Exactly,” Butterbean replied. “Just to prove to myself that if I believe in myself, I can accomplish anything. And to get down to 285 pounds, that’s a huge accomplishment, seeing I’ve been there maybe in the fourth or fifth grade I was 280.”
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Helwani noted that Paul, 28, “is hitting pretty hard these days.”
“I hit so much harder than he does,” Butterbean replied. “That’s why it would be such a great fight.”
In his heyday, Butterbean was more than a novelty, packing a punch that belied his doughy physique. He had a record of 77-10-4 with 56 knockouts and won the IBA super heavyweight title. He was also former heavyweight champ Larry Holmes’ last opponent (and victory). Butterbean was credited with a 10th-round knockdown of Holmes by the referee, but the replay showed Holmes perhaps slipped.
Butterbean called Paul’s victory over former heavyweight champ Tyson last November “BS.”
“Just because he’s an older guy don’t mean he couldn’t have knocked Jake out,” Butterbean said. “I, myself, I would take it to him, he wouldn’t know what to think. … I know I could take him. And he thinks he could take me.”
Butterbean said he’s seeking one final fight ― and he’s got a backup plan if Paul should never pan out. He said he’d box former UFC fighter Brock Lesnar if it could be arranged. Butterbean, who last boxed in 2013, also dabbled in MMA but his hip replacements make that a no-go, he said
“I’d rather fight Jake, to be honest, because he runs his mouth a little bit too much,” Butterbean said. “Like one of those little Chihuahua dogs. I’d like to shut him up.”
HuffPost has reached out to Paul’s representatives for comment.
Fast-forward to 5:35 for the Paul challenge:
