Credit: Getty 
Credit: GettyJake
Paul has been an
outspoken critic of UFC fighter pay, and now the
social-media-celebrity-turned-professional-boxer is putting some
money toward that cause.
Paul recently donated $5,000 to a GoFundMe account started by UFC
fighter Sarah Alpar,
writing “Keep training hard Sarah, sending you positive energy for
your camp!!!” Alpar started the account in hopes of raising $30,000
by December to help her train full time and cover expenses such as
food, supplements, recovery, gym fees, doctor fees, travel, gas and
room and board.
“Imagine a rookie in the NBA had to start a GoFundMe to play,” Paul
wrote on Twitter. “I let Sarah know she has my support and
contribution. It’s my honor and privilege to help fellow fighters
in any way I can.”
SMH… Imagine a rookie in the NBA had to
start a GoFundMe to play..I let Sarah @TOOSWEET_Alpar
know she has my support and contributionIt’s my honor and privilege to help fellow fighters in anyway I
canhttps://t.co/XvDHOwoN6Q— Paul Paul (@jakepaul)
June 30, 2021
Thanks to a $25,000 donation, Alpar had received $34,076 on her
account at the time of this writing.
“Wow. Wow. I am blown away by what is happening right now, and I
couldn’t be more grateful. Thank you, everyone, for your support,
and Jake Paul for
contributing and getting the word out about my fund,” Alpar wrote
in an update on her page shortly after Paul’s donation. “You all
are helping make my dreams a reality.”
Alpar earned a UFC contract after submitting Shanna
Young on Season 3 of Dana White’s Contender Series in August
2019. She suffered a third-round TKO loss against Jessica-Rose
Clark in her promotional debut at UFC Fight Night 178 last
September and is scheduled to face Erin
Blanchfield at a UFC event on Sept. 18.
Paul, meanwhile, is coming off a knockout victory of former
Bellator and One Championship title holder Ben Askren
under the Triller Fight Club Promotions banner in April. He is next
scheduled to meet ex-UFC welterweight champion Tyron
Woodley at a Showtime boxing event on Sept. 28.
During a press event earlier this month to promote his fight with
Woodley, Paul didn’t
mince words when critiquing the UFC’s payment practices.
“There’s a movement moving forwards that is going to show that
fighters should be getting paid more. It’s unfair. The UFC fighters
don’t have fair pay. Out of all the sports, the percentage that the
owners get versus the athlete, they’re the lowest,” Paul said.
“Francis
Ngannou vs. Jon Jones,
that fight should happen. Dana White, pay them the $10 million.
He’s taking their money. They’re the ones making the content.
They’re the ones who get in the ring risking their life. Chris
Weidman goes in, snaps his leg in half, what’s that look like?
He may never be able to fight again and provide for his family.
“These fighters are risking their lives. You can quite literally
die in the ring and they need to be compensated more. I’m a big
proponent of that movement and being in control. It’s just like
music labels, same thing, these artists are getting owned and get
locked up into these shitty contracts and they don’t know what to
do. So f–k that s–t. F–k Dana White.”