Aljamain Sterling has been quite vocal about his disdain for Sean O’Malley’s path to the title, calling it the “Jake Paul route” ¹ ² ³. Sterling believes that O’Malley’s rise to the top was paved by favorable matchups and that he hasn’t faced the toughest competition available. This criticism comes ahead of O’Malley’s title defense against Merab Dvalishvili on September 14. O’Malley has fired back at Sterling’s comments, and the tension between the two fighters is palpable ².
Sterling’s comments have sparked a debate about the legitimacy of O’Malley’s title reign and the role of matchmaking in professional sports ¹ ³. Some argue that O’Malley’s path to the title was too easy, while others see it as a strategic move to rise to the top. The upcoming fight between O’Malley and Dvalishvili will be a significant test for O’Malley’s skills and his standing in the bantamweight division ¹. If O’Malley succeeds, a potential fight with Umar Nurmagomedov could further solidify or challenge his title reign ³.