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Jake Paul tweets that he's a 'retired boxer,' but sure doesn't sound 'retired'

Do retired boxers spend this much time talking about future fights? Plus: Paul says Tyron Woodley can't cover up his "I love Jake Paul" tattoo.

Gael Cooper
CNET editor Gael Fashingbauer Cooper, a journalist and pop-culture junkie, is co-author of "Whatever Happened to Pudding Pops? The Lost Toys, Tastes and Trends of the '70s and '80s," as well as "The Totally Sweet '90s." She's been a journalist since 1989, working at Mpls.St.Paul Magazine, Twin Cities Sidewalk, the Minneapolis Star Tribune, and NBC News Digital. She's Gen X in birthdate, word and deed. If Marathon candy bars ever come back, she'll be first in line.
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Gael Cooper
2 min read
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Jake Paul fought Tyron Woodley on Aug. 29, but is he hanging up the gloves?

 Twitter

Jake Paul is 4-0 as a boxer now, but is the social-media personality content to let that rest as his record forever? On Monday, the day after he earned millions of dollars and defeated Tyron Woodley in a split decision, Paul tweeted that he was retiring from boxing.

"Updated status: Retired boxer," the tweet read.

That ... seems unlikely. Paul has a multi-fight deal with Showtime. And he has already been hinting around at a next fight, whether that be with Conor McGregor or Tommy Fury. Paul told reporters at the post-fight press conference that he sees McGregor as an easier fight than Woodley. And Tommy Fury, who beat Paul's sparring partner, Anthony Taylor, on Sunday, talked some serious trash about Paul's abilities.

"I've done my part tonight, he's done his part tonight, why not make it next?" Fury said. "It's the fight that's on the tip of everyone's tongue. No one wants to see him fight another MMA kid. Why not fight against a pro boxer?"

Representatives for Showtime and Jake Paul didn't immediately respond to a request for clarification on the "retired boxer" statement. 

But it's worth noting that McGregor himself tweeted in 2016 that he was retiring, then fought again four months later. Boxers -- and other athletes -- love to hint at leaving their sport, but sometimes it's just talk. What's the old joke? How can we miss you if you won't go away?

Paul followed up the "retired" tweet with details on the "I love Jake Paul" tattoo Woodley agreed to get after his loss.

"Tyron's tattoo guidelines," Paul tweeted. "1. 3x2 inches at least. 2. Can't get it covered. 3. Permanent. 4. Must post on social media. 5. Has to be visible with shorts and shirt on."

Woodley said after the fight that he'd get the tattoo, but he wants a rematch, and the fighters shook on it. (So ... more evidence Paul isn't retiring?)

Social-media users had fun with both tweets.

In response to the "retired boxer" tweet, one Twitter user wrote that Paul was the "first retired boxer in the world who never actually fought a real boxer."

And as an answer to Paul's list of tattoo guidelines, the MMA Humour account came up with a list of "Jake Paul Opponent guidelines," stating that Paul's opponents must be retired, have had zero boxing matches, and be smaller and older than Paul himself.

But others defended Paul. One Twitter user wrote, "Jake Paul had the world against him yet he prevailed 4-0. Now people will still hate on him after he's shown what true dedication is."