Jake Paul, Ben Askren, and Sports' Memeification.

'It's a serious game and someone's getting hurt. 'It's not just a fucking cool experience,' says Al-Fakhri-better known as his YouTube alter ego, AnEsonGib-lest you doubt that social media stars like him are trolling around in the ring. Al-Fakhri? Just another guy in his trail.

A year later, in April 2021, Jake will take a fight with Ben Askren that’ll make him, like it or not, one of the biggest stories in boxing. With one last shot to Ali’s cheek, Jake ends the fight in the first round. He rushes, leading with his front hand, and Jake moves to the side to let him bonk his head right into the white rope. Doesn't do much, just pushes Jake's head to the side. He's crouching, bobbing his head back and forth, punching up at the dude four inches taller than him. We're in the ring, between the ropes, and two YouTubers are a minute and a half into their first pro boxing bout, desperate to avoid the second-worst thing that could happen to you in an influencer fistfight-getting knocked out cold-and the first-worst thing: being made into a meme. Ali Loui Al-Fakhri, somehow, by the grace of all that is fair and good, dodges Jake Paul's right hand, which is very much trying to nail his jaw so hard that it flies clean off his face and into the ooo-ing and ahh-ing crowd.

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