Former UFC and Bellator title challenger Yoel Romero wasted little time dispatching his opponent at the very first Dirty Boxing Championship event.
To the surprise of many, Romero was a last-minute addition to the maiden card for Mike Perry’s new combat sports promotion. The striking-only organization announced the Cuban’s matchup last Friday, a day before the private event in Miami.
“Soldier of God” — who unsuccessfully challenged Robert Whittaker and Israel Adesanya for UFC gold, as well as Vadim Nemkov for champ status under the Bellator banner — headlined opposite Power Slap competitor Duane Crespo.
At the event, which had limited promotion and did not stream online, Romero quickly showed his superiority over Crespo by destroying “The Iron Giant” inside the very first round.
Fights under the Dirty Championship Boxing banner consist of three-minute rounds (three for normal bouts and five for main events) and are fought with 5oz gloves. The fighters are also allowed to throw elbows.
The result on Saturday came in Romero’s first combat sports appearance since this past February, when he got the better of fellow former UFC contender Thiago Santos at the PFL vs. Bellator event in Saudi Arabia.
It remains to be seen what lies ahead for Romero in 2025, and whether or not his next outing will see a return to mixed martial arts following a foray into the ring at Perry’s Dirty Boxing Championship.
Rashad Evans and Quinton “Rampage” Jackson are seemingly set to reignite their storied rivalry — this time under the bright lights of the squared circle.
The two former UFC light heavyweight champions first collided at UFC 114 in May 2010 following their fiery stint as opposition coaches on Season 10 of The Ultimate Fighter (TUF). That night, “Suga” emerged victorious, earning a dominant unanimous decision.
May29.2010
Rashad Evans ends one of the most heated feuds in UFC history,
— MMA History Today (@MMAHistoryToday) May 29, 2016
Whispers of a boxing showdown between Evans and Jackson began swirling months ago, with ONE Championship even showing interest in bringing the fight to life. Although those plans never materialized, the tides have shifted. Now, 15 years after their first clash, the former rivals are closer than ever to stepping into the ring for a long-awaited rematch.
During a recent interview with MMA Fighting, “Suga” revealed that he has already kicked off his training camp for the prospective bout, tentatively slated for February 2025, likely in Florida. The New Yorker also expressed his enthusiasm about rekindling his rivalry with “Rampage.”
“Boxing is something I’m a huge fan of and there’s nothing better than getting another chance to fight Rampage,” Evans said. “Rampage is in pretty good shape right now. He was getting ready for Shannon ‘The Cannon’ [Briggs] so he’s in pretty good shape. I want to get a chance to do it again with it.”
Evans emphasized that while the bad blood between him and Jackson is a thing of the past, their upcoming boxing showdown promises to be fiercely competitive — albeit with a friendly edge.
“With this fight, it’s fun because there’s not that anger-animosity, but at the same time, it’s still competitive. It’s still competitive like if he sees me looking a certain kind of way [he’ll say] ‘Hey, I see you getting ready, you’re looking pretty good’ and I’ll see him hitting the mitts or something like that and I’m like okay, he’s getting ready. It’s still the friendly competition and as the fight gets closer, all the sh*t talking’s going to come back. So it’s going to be fun.”
The high profile Jake Paul vs. Mike Tyson clash has set new benchmarks, even as it faced relentless scrutiny from critics.
Last Friday, “The Problem Child” squared off against the legendary heavyweight boxer in an eight-round showdown at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas. The event proved to be a staggering success, boasting a record-breaking gate and reportedly becoming the most-watched combat sports spectacle of 2024.
The main event, where Paul secured a unanimous decision victory over the 58-year-old Tyson, paired with a historic co-main event that saw Katie Taylor narrowly defeat Amanda Serrano in a contentious split decision, now holds the record for the largest revenue-generating fight night outside Las Vegas in U.S. history.
As per Most Valuable Promotions, over 72,300 fans packed the arena for the Paul vs. Tyson showdown, generating a staggering $18,117,072 in total revenue. This impressive feat secured its place as the ninth-highest combat sports gate of all time and set a new benchmark as the highest-grossing event at AT&T Stadium.
On Tuesday, Netflix announced that the Paul vs. Tyson showdown attracted over 108 million viewers on the streaming platform, despite encountering significant technical disruptions. Meanwhile, the co-main event became the most-watched professional women’s sports event in U.S. history, with an average minute audience of 47 million and an estimated 74 million live viewers worldwide.
Jake Paul vs Mike Tyson makes history with over 108 Million LIVE global viewers!
It’s the most-streamed global sporting event ever and Katie Taylor vs Amanda Serrano 2 is the most-watched professional women’s sports event in US history. pic.twitter.com/QN1P5EWUEc
The main event reached a peak of 65 million simultaneous streams, setting a new record for the most-streamed sports event worldwide, with 38 million of those streams coming from the U.S. alone.
The YouTuber-turned-boxer repeatedly emphasized the immense draw of his showdown with the return of “Iron Mike,” especially after Netflix came on board as the exclusive streaming partner for the event.
Breaking away from the traditional pay-per-view model, the fight card was made available to Netflix subscribers at no additional cost.
By now, it’s crystal clear — John Fury and public events are a recipe for chaos every time.
On Tuesday, Fury Sr. joined his son, Tommy Fury, and former UFC star Darren Till on stage at the kickoff press conference for their Misfits Boxing showdown, scheduled for January 2025 in Manchester.
Fury Sr. didn’t take the jab lightly and, consumed by rage, flung a bottle of water at Till, triggering a chaotic, melee-like scene. Security quickly intervened to disperse the escalating tension while Till aggressively pushed forward to confront the Furys.
Fury and Till are set to face off in an eight-round heavyweight showdown, headlining Misfits Boxing 20 on Jan. 18 at the Co-op Live arena in Manchester, England.
𝗔𝗟𝗟 𝗢𝗡 𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗟𝗜𝗡𝗘 💥
Tommy Fury and Darren Till lock horns in a HUGE start to 2025 in Manchester 👊
“TNT” is coming off a dominant unanimous decision victory over social media sensation KSI at the MF & DAZN: X Series 10 event in October 2023, which came on the heels of his narrow split decision win against Jake Paul. Fury remains undefeated, boasting a perfect 10-0 professional record, with four of those victories coming by knockout.
Former UFC welterweight and middleweight contender Darren Till will be returning to the boxing ring, this time making his professional debut.
Till, who competed unsuccessfully for the 170-pound gold on MMA’s biggest stage, will face Tommy Fury on Jan. 18 in the main event of a Misfits Boxing card at the Co-op Live in Manchester, England.
Ariel Helwani broke the news on social media this weekend.
Till competed in a boxing ring for the first time earlier this year, defeating Mohammad Mutie at an event in Dubai. The bout was infamous for Mutie being ruled unable to continue due to an injury from what appeared to be rabbit shots to the back of the head, but the two continued to brawl after the bout was declared over.
Darren Till To Make Professional Boxing Debut Against Tommy Fury
Till was once a rising English prospect who joined the UFC as an undefeated fighter in 2015. “The Gorilla” went 5-0-1 to start his UFC run, which included wins over Donald “Cowboy” Cerrone and Stephen “Wonderboy” Thompson.
That earned him a welterweight title shot against Tyron Woodley at UFC 228, which the Scouser lost via second-round submission.
Till went on to get knocked out by Jorge Masvidal in upset fashion, marking the start of “Gamebred’s” sudden rise to superstardom. The Brit then rebounded with a decision win over Kelvin Gastelum in his middleweight debut, but he was unable to continue that winning form at 185 pounds.
“The Gorilla’s” UFC run ended with three straight losses against Robert Whittaker, Derek Brunson, and current middleweight champ Dricus Du Plessis.
The 10-0 Fury, meanwhile — the half-brother of former WBC heavyweight champion Tyson Fury — will be fighting after being inactive throughout 2024. “”TNT” handed Jake Paul his sole boxing loss in February 2023 before a decision win over KSI eight months later.
Mike Tyson has come out with his first remarks since losing to Jake Paul in the main event of their card at AT&T Stadium in Dallas, Texas less than 24 hours ago.
“Iron Mike” was not knocked down during the fight but was significantly slow and tired as the fight went on. The 58-year-old, who was competing in his first sanctioned professional boxing outing since 2005, lost to the younger Paul brother via unanimous decision.
That said, in his statement released on social media, the heavyweight great expressed having no regrets for entering the ring at his age.
Tyson, in fact, considered his performance a moral victory, given the circumstances of his health from this past summer. On May 31, Tyson suffered an ulcer flare up on an airplane. The former champion revealed in the statement that he almost died, having had multiple blood transfusions and losing about 25 pounds.
This is one of those situations when you lost but still won. I’m grateful for last night. No regrets to get in ring one last time.
I almost died in June. Had 8 blood transfusions. Lost half my blood and 25lbs in hospital and had to fight to get healthy to fight so I won.
Mike Tyson Releases Statement Declaring Victory In Defeat
“To have my children see me stand toe to toe and finish 8 rounds with a talented fighter half my age in front of a packed Dallas Cowboy stadium is an experience that no man has the right to ask for,” Tyson said in the statement.
Tyson came out strong on the front foot in the opening round, bringing out that aggressive style he was known for over the course of his career.
But “Iron Mike” slowed from the second round on, as Paul worked him over with combinations and landed at will. Though the heavyweight legend showed defense, he had landed less than 20 punches by the time the final round came.
Paul, during the event’s post-fight press conference, said he carried the veteran when he realized midway through the fight how drained he appeared, stating he “didn’t want to hurt someone that wasn’t able to do much.”
Paul responded to Tyson’s statement, praising him for his legendary status in the sport and thanking him for the opportunity to fight.
Love you Mike. It was an honor. You’re an inspiration to us all.
Those who believed Jake Paul vs. Mike Tyson would be the same old song and dance as other Jake Paul spectacles in the ring proved to be correct.
The YouTuber-turned-boxer defeated Tyson in a one-sided decision in the main event of a card at AT&T Stadium in Dallas, Texas.
Tyson, in his vintage style, came out aggressive, looking to chase down the 27-year-old and flashing his power with his initial shots. Paul tried to clinch up more than once in the round, landing a key right hand.
“El Gallo,” however, started to get into a groove over the next few rounds, working Tyson over with combinations. Paul became the fighter on the front foot when Tyson slowed down as the minutes went on. While “Iron Mike” tried to increase his pace, his younger opponent was simply faster and landed at will.
Tyson seemed to pick things up in the seventh round, but by this point, had landed just 16 punches. And he did nothing in the eighth round to change the tide, as Paul ended up pulling off a near complete sweep on the scorecards to win a unanimous decision.
Fighters & Fans React As Jake Paul Easily Defeats Mike Tyson
Credit to Jake Paul + Mike Tyson for pulling off one of the great cons of century. I shoulda put 10 million on Jake. Not cause he's good but cause he fought a senior citizen. I would say everybody involved should be ashamed but I'd take the money it too if I could. #TysonPaul
The fight was originally scheduled to take place in July, but the bout was postponed after Tyson suffered an ulcer flare up on a flight.
“The Problem Child” instead face Mike Perry, defeating the bare-knuckle champion via sixth-round knockout. That was the Cleveland native’s fourth straight win since suffering the lone loss of his boxing career against Tommy Fury.
Meanwhile, Friday’s results marked Tyson’s first professional boxing match since his loss to Kevin McBride in 2005. Tyson and Roy Jones Jr. fought in an exhibition bout in November 2020.
The pair’s eight-round professional heavyweight contest was tasked with headlining the very first combat sports event to be streamed live on the Netflix platform, which also staged the championship rematch between Katie Taylor and Amanda Serrano.
After a blockbuster co-headliner, Paul outpointed Tyson in a lackluster main event, which saw 58-year-old “Iron Mike” land just 18 times across the 24-minute distance.
— MVP – Most Valuable Promotions (@MostVpromotions) November 15, 2024
The highly debated boxing showdown has dominated headlines since its announcement, though not for the most favorable of reasons. The focal point has been the jaw-dropping 31-year age gap between the YouTuber-turned-boxer and the former undisputed heavyweight champion, a record-breaking divide that has sparked widespread skepticism about the competitiveness of the matchup.
Among the many critics of the Paul vs. Tyson bout, Strickland, who is no stranger to bashing “The Problem Child,” has joined the chorus. The former UFC middleweight champion recently took to X and lashed out at Paul over his matchup with the boxing legend in a series of tweets.
“@jakepaul [Jake Paul] is a clown,” Strickland tweeted. “Your ability to make money off stupid people is impressive, but being rich won’t buy you dignity. You’re fighting a 60-year-old man who is just trying to make a dollar by risking his life.. scum bag.”
Your ability to make money off stupid people is impressive but being rich won't buy you dignity
You're fighting a 60 year old man who is just trying to make a dollar by risking his life.. scum bag….@Robzsafar << here ya go.. jk you don't fight boxers
Strickland then reacted to the Netflix promotional video for the fight, taking issue with the “All it takes is one punch” tagline.
“You’re fighting a 60-year-old… are you a f**king idiot?? This should be illegal… The man had a medical emergency a month before this because he’s too f**king old. F**king clown.”
You're fighting a 60 year old….. are you a fucking idiot?? This should be illegal……. The man had a medical emergency a month before this because he's too fucking old.. fucking clown
“Iron Mike” hung up his gloves after a loss to Kevin McBride in June 2005. However, Tyson made a comeback to the ring for an exhibition match against Roy Jones Jr. in November 2020, a bout that ultimately ended in a draw.
The Paul vs. Tyson fight was originally scheduled for July 20 but was delayed to November after Tyson experienced an ulcer flare-up during a flight from Miami to Los Angeles in May.
The pair’s eight-round professional heavyweight contest is tasked with headlining the very first combat sports event to be streamed live on the Netflix platform, which will also stage the championship rematch between Katie Taylor and Amanda Serrano.
Ahead of the event, the fighters will hit the scale on Thursday to make their matchups official.
The Jake Paul vs. Mike Tyson event takes place on Friday, November 15, at the AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas. The main card begins at 8 PM ET/5 PM PT on Netflix, with the preliminary card starting at 5:30 PM ET/2:30 PM PT on YouTube.
See above for a replay of the weigh-ins via Most Valuable Promotions, and check out the full results below.
Main Card (Netflix, 8 PM ET):
Heavyweight: Jake Paul (227.2lbs) vs. Mike Tyson (228.4lbs)
Lightweight: Katie Taylor (137.4lbs) vs. Amanda Serrano (137.4lbs)
Welterweight: Mario Barrios (146.8lbs) vs. Abel Ramos (146.4lbs)
Super Middleweight: Neeraj Goyat (162lbs) vs. Whindersson Nunes (164lbs)
Preliminary Card (YouTube, 5:30 PM ET):
Super Middleweight: Shadasia Green (167.8lbs) vs. Melinda Watpool (166.8lbs)
Lightweight: Lucas Bahdi (135.6lbs) vs. Armando Casamonica (138.6lbs*)
Featherweight: Shu Shu Carrington Jr. (125.8lbs) vs. Dana Coolwell (125.2lbs)
Days out from their boxing showdown, Jake Paul and Mike Tyson appeared in the ring for their open workouts.
27-year-old “EL Gallo,” a YouTuber-turned-pugilist, and 58-year-old “Iron Mike,” a former undisputed world heavyweight champion, are set to do battle as the headline act of the very first combat sports event to be streamed live on Netflix.
The event takes place at the AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas this coming Friday. It was originally scheduled for July but had to be postponed due to a medical issue on the side of Tyson.
Four months later, the pair have renewed hostilities ahead of their collision atop the Nov. 15 card, which also features a highly awaited championship rematch between boxing stars Katie Taylor and Amanda Serrano.
All four featured at Tuesday night’s open workouts, the full replay and highlights from which you can see below.
Jake Paul vs. Mike Tyson: Open Workout Stream
Jake Paul Open Workout Highlights
HERE’S JAKE “EL GALLO” PAUL
Jake Paul arrives to the #PaulTyson open workout. Watch him take on Mike Tyson Friday, November 15 LIVE on Netflix at 8PM ET | 5PM PT. pic.twitter.com/X5L1YOAe3B
— MVP – Most Valuable Promotions (@MostVpromotions) November 13, 2024
Mike Tyson Open Workout Highlights
THAT’S IRON MIKE
Mike Tyson is in the ring at the #PaulTyson open workout. It all goes down Friday, November 15 LIVE on Netflix at 8PM ET | 5PM PT. pic.twitter.com/SUAN0R5XmL
58 year old Mike Tyson just completed an open workout for his upcoming fight vs 27 year old Jake Paul. Iron Mike still got it. 🥊 pic.twitter.com/5sJxQomTjP
Jake Paul is just days away from facing off against Mike Tyson this Saturday at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas. The highly anticipated fight will air live exclusively on Netflix.
Tyson initially retired from boxing in 2005 after a loss to Kevin McBride, in which he failed to answer the bell for the seventh round. Now, he’s stepping back into the ring for his first professional bout in 19 years.
Paul has boldly predicted a knockout victory over the legendary boxer, though he acknowledges it might be a “bittersweet” achievement. “When it happens, it’s going to be a little bittersweet because I have love for him, but at the current moment, we’re meant to go to war,” Paul said. “He’s trying to take the food off my plate, and I’m trying to take the food off of his plate—that’s what warriors do.”
Reflecting on the significance of the fight, Paul sees it as the culmination of his 12-year career across entertainment and now boxing. “I dreamed this, manifested it, and this fight will mark the start of my career in boxing. This is my moment to shine, and I’m going to show the world who I am,” Paul continued.
“Everyone’s doubted me. Everyone’s had something to say. Nothing was ever given to me; I’ve had to work for it all. I’ve been kicked off YouTube, kicked off platforms, canceled five times, and here I am, throwing the biggest event in entertainment. Now, this moment proves to the world what hard work and perseverance can do. I’m just happy to show that to other kids who may face adversity and need to keep proving themselves.”
As a pro, he has gone 10-1 with seven knockouts against opponents. Many of those wins have come over YouTubers and former MMA fighters.
Not only was Ngannou coming off his first knockout loss where he was stopped by Anthony Joshua in his second boxing match, the former UFC heavyweight champion was motivated to return to competition in the memory of his late son Kobe. Getting his hand raised in the PFL by any means neccesary was his primary focus but after dominating Ferreira and finishing him in the first round, there isn’t a clear next challenge for him in MMA.
Even with a record of 0-2, there are still some big fights left for Ngannou in the boxing world and though it might not be on the same level as his fights with Tyson Fury or Joshua, a meeting with Deontay Wilder would still be a big draw even if both men are coming off of knockout losses in the ring.
Wilder was finished in the fifth round by Zhilei Zhang in June in what looked like could be the final outing of his 48-fight career. “The Bronze Bomber” recently revealed in an interview with TMZ that he’s working towards a return after taking some time off.
“The best is yet to come, I always say that. We’re still going, we’re still here, you know what I mean we just getting things together man. I’m just handling a lot of things, I had a lot of outside distractions that I had to get rid of.”
Wilder also spoke about the potential of facing Ngannou next time out, sending his potential opponent a message of support after the difficult year he has gone through.
“Even since I’ve been off and stuff like that, it’s been a lot of offers coming in, a lot of things, different countries and stuff like that and even with Francis, what’s up brother. I hope everything’s going good for you man and I’m sorry for your loss. I can only imagine what it’s like to lose a child man, I never hope to even feel that feeling of it but I wish, I hope life is going beautifully for you bro and yeah, that’s a conversation I’m still looking to getting in the mix and talk about.”
After a highly anticipated and closely contested battle, Artur Beterbiev can now call himself the one and only king of boxing’s light heavyweight division.
Beterbiev defeated Dmitry Bivol to become the undisputed light heavyweight champion in the main event of a card held in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The 39-year-old retained the IBF, WBO, and WBC titles in this contest, in addition to capturing the WBA (Super) title held by Bivol.
With the win, Beterbiev has become the first undisputed light heavyweight champion since Roy Jones Jr. accomplished the feat in 2000 — and the first in the four-belt era.
Beterbiev and Bivol battered one another, with the two bringing war for the full 12 rounds that the fight lasted.
The latter got off to a strong start over the first couple of rounds before Beterbiev picked up the pace in the third frame and turned up the pressure more in the fourth. Beterbiev continued to land power shots in the fifth round, but Bivol defended well and responded with strong combinations in the sixth.
Both men appeared to do damage in the seventh round, with Bivol rocking Beterbiev early before Beterbiev pressured him before the round’s end. After a quieter eighth stanza, Bivol worked his counterpunching and defense well over the next two rounds. Beterbiev then brought back the pressure in the 11th before a close, competitive final round.
Beterbiev Captures Undisputed Light Heavyweight Title With Close, Controversial Decision Over Bivol
One judge scored the fight a draw 114-114. However, he was overruled by the other two judges with scores of 115-113 and 116-112 in Beterbiev’s favor.
Judges again. Great fight. I had Bivol slightly. These scorecards are ridiculous as always. https://t.co/1KSnhm4bBo
On first watch, live I also had Beterbiev winning. I thought he fought well throughout, Bivol did great, but even when he won rounds he only seemed to fight hard in certain spots.
This was the first time that Beterbiev did not score a KO or TKO in his professional career.
The Russian captured the IBF light heavyweight title with a KO of Enrico Kolling in November 2017. He won the WBC title by defeating Oleksandr Gvozdyk in October 2019 and the WBO title with a win over Joe Smith Jr. in June 2022.
Bivol, meanwhile, won the WBA (Regular) light heavyweight title with a first-round knockout of Trent Boradhurst in November 2017. He was elevated to WBA (Super) champion in October 2019.
There is concern over the condition of Ben Whittaker after his boxing match with Liam Cameron came to an end in a bizarre manner on Saturday night.
During the fifth round of their fight — which took place on the undercard for Artur Beterbiev vs. Dmitry Bivol in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia — Whittaker and Cameron both managed to flip over the top rope and seemed to land hard.
Ben Whittaker Leaves Ring In Wheelchair After He & Liam Cameron Flip Over Top Rope
Whittaker appeared to suffer some sort of injury, potentially to one of his legs. The 2020 Olympic silver medalist was escorted from the ring in a wheelchair.
Jake Paul recently issued an audacious $5 million challenge to Mike Tyson ahead of their highly anticipated boxing clash.
“The Problem Child” is preparing to face off against Tyson in an eight-round heavyweight contest set for November 15 at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas. Originally scheduled for July 20, the fight was postponed after “Iron Mike” experienced an ulcer flare-up in May.
🥊 LIVE on Netflix Friday, NOV 15 at 8PM ET / 5PM PT
🥊 A three-part follow-doc, Countdown: Paul vs. Tyson, leads up to the fight with 2 episodes premiering November 7. The final episode on November 12. Countdown will also include the lead up to Katie… pic.twitter.com/HnLGCp09lb
Ever since the fight was announced earlier this year, the matchup has been met with widespread skepticism, largely due to the substantial 31-year age gap between Paul and Tyson. Despite the doubts, the boxing icon has repeatedly assured fans that he’s in top form and more than ready to step back into the ring.
The former undisputed heavyweight champion hung up his gloves after facing Kevin McBride in June 2005. However, Tyson returned to the squared circle in November 2022 for an exhibition match against Roy Jones Jr., which concluded in a draw.
Meanwhile, Paul is riding high on the momentum of a sixth-round knockout victory over Mike Perry in July. Currently on a four-fight winning streak, he has only tasted defeat once, falling to Tommy Fury via split decision in February 2023. “The Problem Child” has made a name for himself by toppling former MMA stars, including Nate Diaz, Anderson Silva, and Tyron Woodley.
With just a month remaining until their matchup, Paul has thrown out an intriguing proposition for “Iron Mike” that could earn him an extra hefty payday.
Paul Offers $5M If Tyson Lasts Beyond Round 4
In a TikTok video earlier this week, Paul raised the stakes for his upcoming bout with Tyson, offering a lucrative $5 million bonus if the boxing legend can withstand his barrage past the fourth round. However, the YouTuber-turned-boxer added a playful twist—should ‘Iron Mike’ fail, he’ll have to get a tattoo that reads, “I Love Jake Paul.”
“Mikey Mikey, if you can last more than four rounds with me, I’ll give you an extra $5 million,” Paul said in the video. “But if you don’t, then you have to get a tattoo that says, ‘I Love Jake Paul.’”
Paul’s tattoo challenge isn’t exactly a new tactic. After his victory over Woodley in August 2021, the former UFC welterweight champion demanded an immediate rematch. “The Problem Child” agreed, but only on one condition: if he triumphed again, Woodley would have to get an “I Love Jake Paul” tattoo.
True to his word, after Paul knocked him out, “The Chosen One” followed through and inked the tattoo on the inside of his middle finger.
Ngannou went on to sign a lucrative deal with the PFL, securing special autonomy to pursue boxing matches. The 38-year-old Cameroonian soon realized his long-held dream of stepping into the squared circle.
Although his high-profile bouts against former champions Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua didn’t deliver the outcomes he had hoped for, Ngannou still walked away with a pair of hefty paychecks.
White recently downplayed the belief that Ngannou earned more from two boxing matches than he would have with the UFC, dismissing the concept of massive payouts in the sport as merely “a myth.”
Ngannou Challenges Validity Of White’s Statements
During a recent interview, “The Predator” dismissed White’s remarks that belittled his boxing earnings and urged him not to fall for the narrative spun by the UFC’s head honcho. Ngannou further asserted that his earnings far exceeded what he could have ever achieved in the UFC.
“Personally, at this point, it’s been a while since I’ve taken anything from Dana White as credible,” Ngannou said. “I don’t give any importance because the things that he says a lot of times cannot make sense. But just for this statement, I will say for everything that I left the UFC for—every single thing—I have had more. Way more. Everything. Name it. Just say I have had everything way more.”
Given the stature that both men bring to the table, getting the opportunity to share the ring with either of them is a huge opportunity for other fighters.
One man that wants a piece of that action is MMA legend Vitor Belfort.
After retiring from competing in the UFC back in 2018, Belfort has made the move over to boxing where he has had several bouts since. But despite being 47 years old, he believes that big name opponents still aren’t willing to fight him.
Vitor Belfort Says That He Wants Either Paul Or Tyson But It Probably Won’t Happen
The Brazilian legend has won both of his boxing contests since hanging up the MMA gloves, beating Evander Holyfield in an exhibition and fellow former UFC fighter Ronaldo “Jacare” Souza.
In a recent interview with Inside Fighting, he claimed that though he would be open to the idea of stepping in against Paul or Tyson, it’s not likely to happen.
It makes sense on his end but Belfort doesn’t believe that either man is willing to risk fighting him because of their own legacies.
“I would love to do it but both guys didn’t want to fight me for sure but I would love to fight the winner. I just wish they can have a great fight but they don’t have the courage to bring that fight [to me]. I think that would be a great fight to put together but I think none of them wanted to risk their – how they can call – career or their legacy.
“I’m in a stage of my life where for me to step up and fight someone, has to make sense for me, for the fans. I think the fans would love to see that but at the end of the day, Jake Paul fights who he wants to fight. He’s making the decision and I mean we’ll see what will be but I mean I can promise you, I think that fight is not going to happen.”
This past weekend saw another huge boxing event in collaboration with Riyadh Season with Wembley Stadium drawing in a huge crowd for Joshua vs Dubois.
Several days before, UFC President Dana White made the trip over to Ireland for Walsh vs. Runowski, a boxing event that was hosted on UFC Fight Pass amongst other major broadcasting platforms.
White spoke ahead of the event about whether he is finally going to fully make a move into boxing which has been teased for many years at this stage.
The sport is arguably the strongest it has been in a long time right now and could become even more exciting if the MMA leader’s CEO joins the conversation.
Teddy Atlas Says Dana White Could Have The Same Impact As Turki Alalshikh In Boxing
In a recent interview with Submission Radio, boxing expert Teddy Atlas said that he would welcome White into the sport with open arms.
He believes that the way that White has been able to build the UFC into what it is today is by executing one simple idea, giving the fans what they want.
This was missing from boxing for a long time until, as Atlas states, Turki Alalshikh and the Saudi Arabian General Entertainment Authority started to invest heavily in the sport.
For a long time, the biggest fights in boxing were held back by promoters not working together or negotiations that became stand-offs.
Atlas believes that White, like Alalshikh, would place the emphasis back on seeing the best fight the best whenever it is possible.
“I say come on in! Come on in! We need you! Turki Alalshikh has helped boxing tremendously by making fights that the promoters couldn’t make, they didn’t want to make… Dana White does that.
“He’s been doing that forever over at the UFC. Yeah I know it’s one guy in charge. ‘Oh but Teddy, he’s the dictator…’ Listen, if a dictator ain’t chopping heads off and he’s getting things done, sometimes maybe we can learn a little something. Maybe at least it gives us direction, it gives us rules, we could use rules in this world right now, we could use direction in this world right now.”
Jake Paul has plenty to focus on right now. In addition to helping the PFL with its promotion of Francis Ngannou vs. Renan Ferreira on Oct. 19 in Saudi Arabia, Paul is preparing himself for his highly anticipated boxing showdown with Mike Tyson on Nov. 15 in Dallas.
What comes next for “The Problem Child” in the aftermath of the Tyson fight is unknown. Will he try for another boxing match? Or will he finally look to make his PFL debut after signing with the promotion at the start of 2023?
The younger of the Paul brothers has found plenty of success in the boxing ring regardless of who has come his way — all except for one person: Tommy Fury.
Many have wondered when a rematch between the two will come, especially given Paul and Fury failed to come to terms on a rematch, and the Brit has fought just once since their initial encounter, defeating KSI in a highly lackluster outing in October 2023.
Though one might expect that Fury would pursue a rematch with Paul in the boxing ring, it appears he’s open to doing battle in the cage, too.
In a recent YouTube video, Fury showed off some of his time training alongside Interim UFC Heavyweight Champion Tom Aspinall.
Tommy Fury Calls Out Jake Paul For PFL Debut After Training With UFC Champion Tom Aspinall
In the video, Fury suggested that he is more than willing to cross over to MMA if it means getting his hands on Paul again.
“Jake Paul’s in the PFL, isn’t he?” Fury said. “I’m going to smash his face in when I get better at MMA. I’ll beat him in boxing, and in the cage. A big useless prick. I reckon a year-and-a-half to two years of training until I’ll beat him in a [MMA] fight. It’ll be no problem in the cage.
“He’s got the funds, he’s got the best trainers in the world, he’s got the best sparring in the world. So, he’s doing all right. But he’s no match for me. I swear to you, next time I fight him, I’ll knock him out.”
Paul has not responded to Fury’s remarks as of writing.
Since the loss to Fury, the Cleveland native has gone on to defeat Nate Diaz by decision and score knockouts against Andre August, Ryan Bourland, and Mike Perry.
In what has to go down as one of the most one-sided and jaw-dropping upsets in recent professional boxing history, Daniel Dubois retained the IBF heavyweight championship with a fifth-round knockout of Anthony Joshua at Wembley Stadium in London.
Dubois became just the second man to knock out Joshua — and only the third to beat him — in his professional career. The defending champion put on a display that was flat-out dominant and one of the most brutal beatings Joshua received in the ring.
“Dynamite” brought this pace right from the get-go, rocking the former two-time unified heavyweight champion in the first round and dropping him before the frame’s conclusion.
The pace did not stop, and Dubois appeared three steps ahead of Joshua. In fact, he rocked “AJ” again in the closing seconds of the third round, knocking him down before the bell sounded.
Dubois knocked Joshua down again in the fourth stanza, and he appeared to do so for a second time before it was ultimately ruled a slip.
Things ultimately ended in the fifth, just as Joshua finally seemed to buckle Dubois with a right hand, putting him on the back foot. The fan favorite charged in an attempt to attack but was cracked and dropped by a counter right hook that landed on the button.
Joshua was unable to answer the 10 count, giving Dubois the win and ensuring the championship wouldn’t change hands.
Daniel Dubois Puts On Beating, Retains IBF Heavyweight Title With KO Of Anthony Joshua
– Wilder v Joshua was supposed to happen but Wilder got KO’d by Zhang – Joshua v Fury was supposed to happen but Fury lost to Usyk – Joshua has now been KO’d by Dubois
Joshua realized it was now or never connects with some good shots and tries to finish Dubois but full props to Dubois for keeping his wits and nailing AJ with perfect counter right. https://t.co/lBUgnJaj79
Dubois has now won three straight since his unsuccessful challenge of Oleksandr Usyk in August 2023. He became interim IBF heavyweight champion with a finish of Filip Hrgović in June and was promoted to full-time champion when Usyk — then-undisputed heavyweight champion — was stripped of the IBF title.
Meanwhile, this loss snaps a four-fight win streak that Joshua was on since dropping back-to-back WBA/IBF/WBO heavyweight championship decisions to Usyk.
Joshua had previously held the IBF title from his win over Charles Martin in April 2016 (and going on to pick up the WBA and WBO titles in the process) until his infamous June 1, 2019 loss to Andy Ruiz Jr. Joshua regained the titles in a rematch with Ruiz that December.
According to legendary boxing trainer Teddy Atlas, UFC Bantamweight Champion Sean O’Malley could compete with the best in boxing.
O’Malley’s hands were on full display during his rise to prominence on mixed martial arts’ biggest stage. After a memorable knockout on Dana White’s Contender Series to earn a contract, a further five foes were stopped with strikes before “Sugar” found himself challenging for gold last year.
As he continues to stake his claim for the ‘best boxer in MMA’ crown, O’Malley has frequently touched on the possibility of a venture to the ring down the line, notably targeting WBA lightweight titleholder Gervonta Davis.
While he thinks that might mark the UFC star biting off more than he can chew, Atlas does agree that success awaits O’Malley in the punching-only realm…
Atlas: O’Malley Has The Abilities Of ‘A Pure Boxer’
The renowned boxing coach and analyst highlighted the skills that would make “Sugar” a formidable foe inside the ring, even going as far as to compare his striking talent to that of a “pure boxer.”
“He can cross over because he has the instinct, the talent, the abilities of a boxer, a pure boxer,” Atlas said. “He’s got the legs. He’s got the eyes. He sees things real good. He’s got long arms. He’s got quick hands. He’s versatile, and he can use the ring and move around and get angles. He can set traps. He’s a great, great natural counterpuncher. If you wait in front of him, he gets out first and puts punches together – smart and educated punches. Smart combinations, up and down. Tricking combinations. They’re advanced combinations, they’re not primitive combinations. They’re not just basic combinations, they’re combinations of a top fighter.
“If you walked into a room, and he was on TV and you wouldn’t see that he’s not wearing shoes, and you saw him strike, you might think you’re watching a boxing match,” Atlas continued. “He’s that smooth. He’s that natural with it, that comfortable with it. He controls range and distance beautifully, and he can punch. He gets good power. Wiry guys usually can’t get good power.”
And while he’s not sure O’Malley could get the better of a well-rounded boxer like Davis, he wouldn’t rule the UFC champ out if he were to turn his sights to other names like Ryan Garcia.
“I’m not knocking him, but I wouldn’t take ‘Tank’ Davis. I’m not saying the other guy is a walk in the park at all. Obviously, not at all. But I’d take Garcia because ‘Tank’ Davis, to me, is the more well-rounded fighter,” Atlas stated. “There are more things to worry about. He can punch. He can counterpunch. He can get you. There are so many facets to his game, and he’s so consistent. Garcia hasn’t shown us that can be consistent.”
The pair are set to headline Noche UFC, the promotion’s second annual celebration of Mexican Independence Day, inside the unique surroundings of the Sphere in Las Vegas.
Set to be the first live boxing event streamed on Netflix, the card is sure to draw huge numbers and demand a lot of attention.
The question is whether this will, in turn, bring a lot of negativity to it because of the nature of the match-up.
Regardless of any other health and physical factors, the just over 30-year age gap between them has made a lot of people speak out about their concerns for this fight and whether it should even be going ahead.
Tyson is obviously a legend of the sport even with his experience and power, there’s a good chance that this fight could get ugly, especially once it goes past the first few rounds.
Daniel Cormier Says Jake Paul’s Cardio & Output Concerns Him In Mike Tyson Fight
What the fight looks like past the opening few minutes is something that Daniel Cormier has a big problem with.
The former UFC two-weight world champion spoke during a recent episode of Funky and the Champ about how Paul is surely going to take over, even if the fight starts competitively.
Cormier made reference to how this was the case in his recent fight with Mike Perry where even when “Platinum” was able to survive an early onslaught, “The Problem Child” was able to keep this pace up and put it on his opponent to get the finish.
“DC” also stated how Paul has been accused of taking performance enhancing drugs in the past, which will only widen the gap in athletic ability between the two men.
Like nearly every combat sports fan in the world, Cormier is a big fan of Tyson and doesn’t want to see a scenario where the fight starts to become uncomfortable if Paul starts to pull away due to his conditioning.
“As the fight went longer, Jake Paul draws on this reserve, finishes Mike Perry. Many believe that in that reserve is a few banned things but at the end of the day, it allows for Jake to draw from that and put himself on the path to get a victory. That is my concern, because what if this thing looks like a 58-year-old man fighting a 28-year-old man when Mike can’t draw from that reserve tank to stay and compete with this young kid.”
The next step in Benson Henderson’s career post-mixed martial arts is set, as the former UFC champion has been booked for his boxing debut.
Henderson held the lightweight title on MMA’s biggest stage between 2012 and 2013. He sits alongside Khabib Nurmagomedov, Islam Makhachev, and BJ Penn as one of four record holders for the most consecutive defenses in the division.
After his UFC stint came to an end, “Smooth” continued under the Bellator banner, challenging for gold unsuccessfully on three occasions. The most recent came in defeat against Usman Nurmagomedov in March 2023, marking his final outing in the cage.
Like many, Henderson’s MMA retirement hasn’t completely brought his combat sports story to an end. Last December, the 40-year-old debuted in the Karate Combat Pit, outpointing his fellow former UFC champ Anthony Pettis.
And Henderson is now set to dip his toes into yet another sport…
Henderson Meets Fellow UFC Vet Chris Avila In Misfits Tournament
It was announced this week that Henderson will feature on the latest card for Misfits Boxing, a crossover boxing promotion founded by English YouTube star and celebrity pugilist KSI.
To date, the likes of Logan Paul, Dillon Danis, Tommy Fury, Paige VanZant, Le’Veon Bell, and Anthony Taylor are among those who have competed at the events.
Misfits Boxing 18, set for the Vertu Motors Arena in Newcastle, England on September 14, will see Henderson added to that list. He’s slated to do battle with another ex-UFC and Bellator fighter, Nate Diaz protégé Chris Avila.
Confirmed: X Series 18 🚨
Stake Pro Tournament featuring the winners fight ON THE SAME NIGHT, the MFB Lightweight championship tournament continues and a STACKED card is coming to Newcastle 🥊
The pair’s contest will serve as one of two light heavyweight semifinals making up a one-night tournament. In the other, Idris Virgo is set to throw down with Fes Batista, with the two winners meeting later on to crown the champion.
The main event of the influencer card will see Elle Brooke defend her MFB middleweight title against BKFC veteran Jenny Savage. The Brit was originally expected to run it back with VanZant following their draw earlier this year, but that hasn’t come to fruition.
Jake Paul and Mike Tyson began the hype and path toward their November 15 battle with a press conference in New York City on August 18, held as one of the final events of the three-day Fanatics Fanfest NYC.
Though the press conference began 40 minutes after it was originally scheduled to start, the Javits Center theater was packed to capacity and the crowd was raucous. From the moment Paul entered, he was mercilessly booed and jeered; meanwhile, Tyson received non-stop cheering throughout the event.
The press conference was hosted by Ryan Clark, who discussed the bout which he called the biggest boxing event in the world, bringing together six generations of boxing fans.
Paul discusses why he's taking a chance with this fight after Clark points out that a loss to Tyson could end his career #PaulTysonpic.twitter.com/N6P4fFTgR4
Paul claimed that he was the one who brought the fight’s lucrative Netflix deal to Tyson, claiming that it was Tyson who insisted the fight be sanctioned as it is.
Tyson responded by stating that he’s taken this fight because he can, calling it the best of all time vs. a YouTuber, which resulted in the crowd directing a “YouTuber!” chant at Paul multiple times during the press conference.
Paul vs. Tyson was originally scheduled to go down in July before Tyson suffered an ulcer flare up on a plane.
Paul enters this fight on a four-fight win streak, most recently stopping Mike Perry last month.
This will be Tyson’s first sanctioned pro fight since his loss to Kevin McBride in June 2005, which ultimately served as Tyson’s retirement bout. Tyson battled Roy Jones Jr. to an eight-round draw in an exhibition bout in November 2020.
