THIS is the terrifying moment Jake Paul’s £30million private jet was hit by lightning mid-air on his way home from New York City.
The YouTube star and boxer was surrounded by friends and his golden retriever, Thor, as he screamed “we woke the gods of war”.
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Scary footage on his Instagram showed the multimillion-pound plane violently shaking as electrical discharge crackled outside.
Paul said: “We woke up the gods of war and (there is) lightning on the plane, brother.”
Clasping his hands, the 27-year-old then makes a plea to a Greek god.
He added: “Oh s***! Zeus, I love you brother.”
Read more about Jake Paul
Paul was flying home from his New York press conference ahead of his fight with Mike Tyson in July.
On July 20, the pair will square off in an exhibition fight that will be aired live on Netflix at the 80,000-seat AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas.
The YouTuber-turned-boxer made it safely back to firm ground, later sharing the video.
He wrote “The way home from the presser was interesting,” followed by a laughing face emoji.
One fan joked in the comments that Paul was trying to escape his fight with Tyson, writing: “My guy trying to fake his death so he doesn’t need to fight.”
Another added: “First hit from Mike Tyson.”
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Tyson, who will be 31 YEARS Paul’s senior on fight night, didn’t mince his words in the pre-fight press conference.
The former undisputed heavyweight champion said: “I really like Jake a lot.
“But once he’s in that ring, he has to fight like his life is depending on it. Because it will be.”
Paul said of his move up in weight: “I’m a natural-born heavyweight.
“This is what I was born to do, to move up into this weight class.
“And I’m going to show Mike who has more power. Because he’s underestimating me.
“I think everyone else is underestimating me and I believe I hit harder. I know it’s going to be tough.
“I know I’m going to have to fight through adversity. I know I might even go to the canvas.
“I’m scared, don’t get me wrong, but it’s not about the fear stopping me.
“It’s about going into it even though I am scared, and that’s what true bravery is.”
Paul will be moving up to heavyweight for the first time in his brief boxing career to lock horns with ‘Iron Mike‘.
And the former Disney star has undergone a dramatic body transformation for the bout, piling on several pounds of muscle and water weight.
Fight fans got their first glimpse of Paul’s new physique last week, with many impressed by his hulking frame.
Although plenty were quick to express concerns over how “The Problem Child” will carry the additional weight.
What is Jake Paul’s net worth?
According to celebritynetworth.com, Jake Paul’s net worth is nearly $80 million.
It is also understood that his annual income before tax deduction hovers between $20 million and $50 million, generated through boxing fights, YouTube videos, endorsements, and merchandise.
Jake Paul and his advisor Nakisa Bidarian started Most Valuable Promotions in 2021 with the goal of establishing a promotional company.
Paul’s two 2021 bouts with former UFC champion Tyron Woodley were supported by the promotion. Even the October 2018 fight involving Anderson Silva happened under MVP.
However, the endeavour proved to be successful when MVP promoted a boxing bout on April 30, 2022, between Katie Taylor, the then-undisputed champion, and Amanda Serrano.
Early in January 2023, Jake Paul committed to a multi-year contract with the Professional Fighters League. He has to take part in the mixed martial arts franchise’s promotional events as part of the arrangement.
He would therefore be referred to as the chief of fighter advocacy. In terms of bouts, he would compete in the PFL’s PPV Super Fight Division and get about half of the pay-per-view sales proceeds.
Jake Paul also has stock in Betr, a sports business that bills itself as the creator of the first direct-to-consumer micro-betting app globally.
The software, which was released in 2022 and is accessible through the Apple and Google Play stores, is purportedly the result of a partnership between Paul and Joey Levy, valued at approximately $300 million, TMZ Sports reports.
Fuel Venture Capital, Roger Ehrenberg of IA Sports Ventures, and Eberg Capital contributed $35 million to the Ohio native’s idea last year.
A sizeable portion of Jake Paul’s total revenue comes from endorsements in addition to boxing fights and other commercial endeavours, essentiallysports.com reports.
“The Problem Child” has also signed lucrative contracts with a number of companies, including the US sports betting company DraftKings, the UK men’s clothing brand boohooMAN, and the New York-based fashion travel accessory manufacturer SPRAYGROUND.