Jake Paul in the new Undisputed video game (Image: Undisputed)
Former world boxing champion Enzo Maccarinelli has expressed his anger after discovering was ranked higher than him in the newly-released Undisputed video game.
‘The Problem Child’ will soon be a playable character in the popular boxing game, which was launched in October by Steel City Interactive and features over 70 real-world fighters, both male and female.
“This isn’t just about being in a video game; it’s about inspiring a new generation of fans to step into the ring-virtually and in real life,” Paul said in a statement. “The Steel City team nailed every detail, from my moves to my swag.” The 27 year old will be available to use in the game from Thursday.
However, his rating in Undisputed has not been well received by some members of the boxing community, particularly Maccarinelli. Using X – formerly known as Twitter – the Welshman posted a picture comparing their ratings in the game, with Paul rated 84 – four ratings higher than Maccarinelli (80).
The 44 year old captioned the post: “wtf @PlayUndisputed how’s he got a higher rating than me.” The caption was accompanied by several angry and laughing emojis. Maccarinelli, who competed at light-heavyweight and cruiserweight during his career, held the WBO cruiserweight title from 2006 to 2008. With a professional record of 41-8, he held the European and British cruiserweight titles between 2010 and 2012, and the Commonwealth light-heavyweight title in 2013.
‘Big Mac’ hung up his gloves in 2016, four years before YouTube sensation-turned-boxer Paul entered the ring professionally. Paul’s debut saw him triumph over AnEsonGib and he has been on an upward trajectory ever since. Boasting a record of 11-1, his sole loss came at the hands of Tommy Fury last year. The brash American has notched victories against notable names such as Tyron Woodley, Ben Askren, Nate Diaz, and Anderson Silva. In his latest bout, Paul outpointed boxing legend Mike Tyson, controlling the fight despite not securing a knockout.
Post-fight, Paul expressed his reluctance to seriously hurt Tyson, acknowledging the age difference: “I wanted to give the fans a show but I didn’t want to hurt someone that didn’t need to be hurt,” he confessed. “There was a point where he (Tyson) was not engaging back, I could just tell his age was showing a little bit. That violence war thing… that went away as the rounds went on.”
Paul also addressed his polarising persona: “People just love to hate me. I intentionally say things for people to hate. That’s what I like to do. If people want to see more… give me a couple of months. I tried to give the best fight I possibly could. When someone’s just surviving in the ring, it’s hard to make it exciting.I don’t care what people have to say. It is what it is.”