YouTube megastar and professional boxer Jake Paul has faced doping accusations from various people over the years. Paul, who has over 20 million subscribers on YouTube, has made quite a name for himself in the boxing industry. He has fought Tyron Woodley and Tyson Fury among some of the bigger names.
However, his fame, controversies, and unexpected wins have seen him be a target of doping accusations. UFC President Dana White is among a list of people who believe Paul uses steroids.
Firas Zahabi accused Jake Paul before Tyron Woodley’s fight
In August 2021, noted coach Firad Zahabi accused Paul of using steroids before his fight against Woodley. In one of his YouTube videos, Zahabi said, “I definitely think Jake Paul’s gonna be on PEDs,” Zahabi said. “It exists in the world of boxing just like it exists in MMA, and I don’t think Tyron will be on PEDs. I think Tyron will be totally natural. Does it make a difference? It absolutely does.”
🗣Firas Zahabi (GSP Coach) on Jake Paul vs Woodley:
”Factor No. 1 will be all kinds of substances. I hate to say it, but I really think Jake Paul will be on steroids. And I don’t think Tyron is. Does it make a difference? Absolutely ” pic.twitter.com/PEVSdee1rb
— 🍺 (@DBDDeathClutch) August 11, 2021
Jake responded to the story via an interview with MMA Junkie. He said he did not even know what PEDs are:
“My manager sent me that the morning it came out like, ‘Hey, by the way, Georges St-Pierre’s coach said you’re on PEDs,’” Paul told MMA Junkie. “So I swiped up my phone – this is a true story on my mom’s life, she’s looking me in my eyes (right now) – I swipe up my phone, click Safari and type in, ‘What’s PEDs?’
Then I see it says performance-enhancing drugs. I texted my manager back, ‘Good thing I had to Google what PEDs are.’ But I look at it as a compliment. People are trying to do anything they can to discredit me and take away from this journey. They’re already making excuses for him when he loses.”
Woodley did go on to lose to Paul via a split decision on August 29, 2021. Paul won the rematch via a KO on December 18, 2021.
Woodley also claimed that they were not tested before the August fight. However, the tests were later released in January 2022 for the second fight and both fighters returned a negative result.
Paul and Dana White went back and forth with drugs accusations
Paul and Dana White’s rift continued for months before Paul made it personal during Halloween 2021 when he dressed up as White in a costume. Paul was holding a bag of white powder labeled as cocaine. According to Insider, Paul also told Graham Bensinger that White has a “coke issue” and that “everyone knows about” it.
Happy Halloween from Dana White and his hookers👻🎃 pic.twitter.com/ndzsPPpLdD
— Jake Paul (@jakepaul) October 30, 2021
As a guest on “The Fight With Tony Atlas”, White responded to this by saying, “I got a challenge for Jake Paul. This guy keeps saying that I’m a coke head. He can randomly cocaine test me for the next 10 years if I can randomly steroid test him for the next two.”
In January 2022, Paul released a diss track about Dana White on YouTube. He mentioned the cocaine use again and even insulted White further
UFC female fighter accuses Paul of being on steroids
During her UFC Vegas 77 pre-fight press conference, Chelsea Chandler claimed Paul is on steroids. The women’s featherweight competitor accused Paul while admitting that she is supporting Nate Diaz.
“Look at Jake [Paul], he is on steroids. Okay, and those guys gas out. You got big muscles, they get tired. So, Nate [Diaz] pushes it into the later rounds, I think he’s gonna take it.”
“Look at Jake [Paul], he is on steroids” pic.twitter.com/MpWgMRpdAY
— MMA Mania (@mmamania) July 12, 2023
When asked about the fight, she said, “That’s a hard fight, but team Stockton. Yeah [Nate Diaz wins], I think so.”
Diaz was born on April 16, 1985, in Stockton, California. Chelsea is also a Stockton-born fighter.
Jake Paul uploads his drug test results before Nate Diaz bout
On 2 August 2023, Paul uploaded a story on his Instagram where he showed his negative drug test result. Before the much-awaited fight against Diaz, Paul had more accusations of using steroids. However, he has cleared all doubts after posting the official test results.
The letter read: “This letter is to advise you that one or more specimens collected from the below-named athlete has analysed for performance-enhancing drugs through the Voluntary Anti-Doping Association (VADA) program.
“Results for the date(s) listed below are complete:
“ATHLETE: JAKE PAUL. DATE: JULY 19, 2023. RESULTS NEGATIVE.
“We will keep the Texas Combative Sports Program, MVP Promotions, the ABC, and BoxRec apprised of all results of both A and B samples.”
@jakepaul has posted a copy of his recent drug test results on Instagram via @Vada_Testing ahead of his fight on Saturday against @NateDiaz209. #PaulDiaz #Ready4War pic.twitter.com/AmNIAVlWxG
— No Context Ariel Helwani (@nocntexthelwani) August 2, 2023
Paul is set to box Nate Diaz on August 5, 2023, at the American Airlines Center in Dallas, Texas. This is Paul’s eighth professional bout. He was on an impressive 6-0 run before losing to Tommy Fury in February 2023. On the other hand, this is Diaz’s boxing debut.