Jake Paul, a former Disney actor who has notched eight boxing matches as a licensed pro, is a very wealthy man, according to Forbes‘ “Top Creators 2023” list.
“The Problem Child” sits among other YouTubers and content creators as one of the top earners of 2023. As of Sept. 26, Paul has made $34.3 million in 2023, per the outlet. He shares the stage with 49 other names in Forbes’ second annual Top Creators list. The likes of “Mr. Beast,” Jimmy Donaldson, and “KSI,” Olajide Olatunji, have “harnessed their combined 2.6 billion followers to haul in an estimated $700 million in earnings.”
Other names on the list include TikTok star Charli D’Amelio, Jake’s brother Logan Paul, and Call Her Daddy podcaster Alexandra Cooper.
How did Paul make his money in 2023?
Whether it was Vine or YouTube, Paul’s been an online content creator since he was a kid. But, the 26-year-old has shifted his focus onto boxing as well as his sportsbook app, Betr, and fight promotion, Most Valuable Promotions (MVP), in which he’s signed several boxers including undisputed featherweight queen Amanda Serrano.
He still uploads to his YouTube channel regularly — his video titled “Logan Paul Sparring For Dillon Danis” dropped on Sept. 22 — and he boasts over 20 million subscribers. Paul has just under 25 million Instagram followers and more than 17 million on TikTok.
Of course, he makes money off of his content creation. But, his two boxing matches have netted him his biggest paydays of 2023.
In Feb., The Problem Child put his undefeated 6-0 record on the line against Tommy Fury, a professional boxer who is the half-brother of WBC heavyweight champion Tyson Fury. They dueled for eight rounds in Diriyah, Saudi Arabia, and although Paul scored a knockdown, it wasn’t enough to earn him the nod from the judges.
He lost via split decision, causing Paul’s record to fall to 6-1 while the Love Island UK 5 alum’s undefeated spread improved to 9-0.
Paul bounced back from the loss a few months later. With MVP co-promoting, The Problem Child signed up to box former UFC combatant Nate Diaz. Diaz, who parted ways with the mixed martial arts leader last year, agreed to make his professional boxing debut opposite Paul.
But, like Diaz’s nemesis Conor McGregor, he lost his first pro bout. Paul and Diaz fought in Dallas, Texas in August, and Paul emerged with a unanimous decision win after eight hard-fought rounds.
According to Forbes, Paul’s three fights in 2021 earned him an estimated $40 million. And after he lost to Fury, Paul claimed he made $30 million for the match. Now that he’s back on the winning track, and he’s placed himself on an extremely lucrative path, expect to see Paul lace up his gloves soon.