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Askren after loss to Paul: 'It's f---ing embarrassing'

Al Bello / Getty Images Sport / Getty

Even Ben Askren admits he deserves to be ridiculed after he suffered a first-round knockout at the hands of YouTuber Jake Paul on Saturday night.

"I got knocked out by Jake Paul. It's f---ing embarrassing," Askren said at the postfight press conference.

The 36-year-old is a former ONE championship titleholder with a 19-2-1 MMA record. His 24-year-old opponent entered the boxing match with just two previous fights, one against a fellow YouTube star and another against a retired NBA point guard.

Paul dropped Askren less than two minutes into the bout. Although Askren made it back to his feet, the ref called the fight off, deeming him unable to continue.

"I thought I was fine. But, whatever, that's his job," Askren said about the stoppage. "And if that's what he felt, that's what he did."

Though the former UFC headliner says he isn't taking the defeat too hard, he believes he disappointed a significant amount of people.

"I didn't let the MMA community down, I let the world down," Askren said. "People f---ing hate Jake Paul, and they wanted to see me make him miserable and I didn't do that."

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