Ben Askren ‘embarrassed’ by Jake Paul loss, apologises on Twitter and says he won’t fight again and retires with big purse and coaching aim

Ben Askren prepared himself for the ridicule that came his way for losing in the first round to Jake Paul.

Askren said the loss left him embarrassed and tweeted he was sorry for not winning.

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"I got knocked out by Jake Paul - it's f***ing embarrassing," he said when asked if he felt the ridicule he would receive was deserved.

Askren said he would not compete again following the loss and instead would take the money he earned and coach wrestling.

For facing Paul - 2-0 in boxing before this fight - he is said to have earned $500,000, though it is not yet known what percentage of the pay-per-view profits each fighter will receive, nor what other bonuses they are due.

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And that nice payday could be a reason for the smiles he shared with his wife as he walked from the ring to his dressing room.

It was picked up by former UFC heavyweight champion Daniel Cormier, who was stunned by the loss and then posted a clip of the happy couple on Twitter.

“Wait a minute, did Askren get us all?

“Like this is some magician stuff he wasn’t laughing on his way to the back was he? Come on, Ben lol.”

Askren has fought tougher opponents in Robbie Lawler - he took a battering against him before winning - Demian Maia and Jorge Masvidal among others, yet Cormier was at a loss to explain this.

“That was about as bad as it gets,” he said in a YouTube video uploaded by his son.

“It couldn't have been worse.”

Acknowledging there was a full UFC card on at the same time featuring Robert Whittaker and Kelvin Gastelum, Cormier said the 'train wreck' as he called the Triller fight card, couldn't be avoided.

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“Now this dude Jake Paul gets to pretend to be a fighter for a little bit longer," he added.

“Ultimately, he's going to have to fight somebody who can actually fight and then when he does we're going to see what this kid is about, I guess.

“It's insane that he did that to Ben Askren because Ben Askren has a good chin.”