Drake watched his $200,000 guess crumble Saturday night time as Jake Paul fell quick in opposition to Anthony Joshua in a broadly anticipated boxing match that after once more breathed life into the notorious “Drake curse.”

The Canadian rapper had posted a screenshot of his wager on Instagram forward of the combat, captioning it, “Jakeyyyyy boy. Lock tf in.”

However the gamble didn’t repay. Joshua overwhelmed Paul in a lopsided contest, including one other identify to the rising listing of athletes who’ve stumbled after receiving Drake’s public backing.

Anthony Joshua edged the early rounds on the scorecards, however the combat unfolded as a gradual, awkward mess with little clear motion. Jake Paul relied on motion, gentle jabs and occasional proper palms to outlive, repeatedly circling and conserving distance whereas avoiding main harm.

Joshua utilized strain and landed sporadic physique photographs, an uppercut and some glancing blows, principally within the clinch, however struggled to trace Paul or assert management. Each fighters missed regularly, slipped to the canvas a number of instances and spent lengthy stretches tied up. A quick stoppage adopted when Paul claimed a low blow, with the replay exhibiting

Joshua’s knee made contact throughout a fall. Regardless of holding a factors lead, Joshua’s incapability to dominate or produce significant offense left the bout troublesome to attain and aesthetically ugly, with Paul’s survival by way of the rounds already feeling like an ethical setback for Joshua.

Jake Paul was knocked down twice in a brutal fifth spherical, however he managed to outlive. Nonetheless, spherical 6 introduced the top for Jake Paul, who was TKO’d.

Drake’s betting historical past has develop into one thing of a operating joke in sports activities circles, with many pointing to his observe file of high-profile losses.

The rapper’s hometown group, the Toronto Blue Jays, was a latest sufferer of the curse. After Drake publicly backed them through the 2025 World Collection, the Los Angeles Dodgers got here again to win Recreation 7.

The Toronto Solar bluntly famous, “The dreaded Drake Curse is being partly blamed for the Toronto Blue Jays’ loss to the Los Angeles Dodgers in Recreation 7 of the World Collection.”

The so-called curse gained traction after Drake backed Conor McGregor in his 2018 UFC bout in opposition to Khabib Nurmagomedov.

McGregor was submitted within the fourth spherical, regardless of being one of many sport’s high attracts on the time.

Since then, Drake’s help has coincided with a string of defeats throughout sports activities. From Alabama soccer to the Golden State Warriors and even Serena Williams, the rapper’s endorsements have usually preceded surprising losses.

The pattern has develop into so constant that some gamblers now use Drake’s bets as a reverse indicator.

Paul himself has felt the sting earlier than. After dropping a cut up choice to Tommy Fury in February 2023, he realized Drake had put $400,000 on him to win. His response was blunt.

“F**okay. That is Drake’s fault,” Paul mentioned on the post-fight press convention. “Drake, bro, why did you do that to me? It’s my fault. $400,000 is nothing to him. He has received much more cash betting on me earlier than. He’s most likely about even now.”

Paul later joked that he owed Drake an apology for the loss. However with Saturday’s defeat, the curse seems to have struck once more.

The percentages had been stacked in opposition to Paul from the beginning. Joshua, a former two-time heavyweight champion, entered the ring with 25 knockouts in 32 wins and a towering 6-foot-6 body.

Paul, at 6-foot-1, was an enormous underdog at +800, whereas Joshua sat comfortably at -1200.

Paul entered Saturday’s combat with a 12-1 file. Each of his losses now share one factor in widespread: Drake’s cash using on his shoulders.

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