Ex-NBA star Nate Robinson goes lights out in first boxing match with YouTuber Jake Paul

The former New York Knicks player saw his first boxing match end in the second round in surprising fashion

Former NBA player Nate Robinson made a rosy boxing debut on Saturday in a match that preceded the main event that pit two legends of the sport, Mike Tyson and Roy Jones Jr., against one another.

Unfortunately for Robinson, his night ended almost as quickly as it started after his opponent, YouTube personality Jake Paul, knocked him out in the second round of the match.

The pay-per-view match measured Robinson, a 36-year-old and retired guard best known for his stint with the New York Knicks, against Paul, a 23-year-old and former Disney Channel actor.

READ MORE: 50-something Mike Tyson, Roy Jones Jr. hungry to fight again

While this was Robinson’s first bout, Paul was facing his second career opponent. Despite Robinson, who is the NBA’s first three-time slam dunk champion, having a reputation as a standout athlete, he was outmatched by the younger, taller Paul.

Ex-NBA star Nate Robinson is out for the count after a second-round punch from controversial YouTube personality Jake Paul sent him down Saturday, Nov. 28, 2020 at the Staples Center in Los Angeles. (via screenshot)

Robinson was knocked down twice in the first two rounds before receiving a final blow that ended his first fight. Paul hit Robinson with a vicious overhand right hook to Robinson’s head, promptly knocking him unconscious and ending the fight with more than one minute left in the round.

After several moments on the canvas, Robinson was able to eventually get up and walk out of the ring under his own volition.

Although Robinson landed just eight total punches, Paul acknowledged his opponent’s skills during his post-fight interview with correspondent Jim Gray, saying the ex-ball player was “better than I expected.”

“It takes a lot of balls to step in the ring and I don’t want to take anything away from that,” Paul added.

READ MORE: Gervonta Davis knocks out Leo Santa Cruz to win new WBA title

The Robinson-Paul fight preceded the main event between Tyson and Jones Jr. The 50-something former boxing champions went the distance through eight rounds of their exhibition. Judges scored the fight a draw.

Robinson’s loss soon became a trending topic on social media. Countless viewers took to Twitter to send off post-fight commentary, photos and memes poking fun at Robinson’s hard and swift KO.

Some celebrities also commented on Robinson’s first bout, including this post from comedian Lil Duval:

Two-time NBA MVP and Robinson’s one-time teammate Steph Curry posted his concern for Robinson’s health after the knock out:

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