UFC President Dana White says he’d never fault YouTuber-turned-boxer Jake Paul or anybody for that matter for trying to earn money.
In a short space of time, Paul has grown from an internet celebrity trying his hand at boxing against other online stars to a professional pugilist knocking out former MMA champions.
Whether you admire his presence and growth in the sport or see him as a disturbance, no one can deny the rapid rise “The Problem Child” has made into the combat sports mainstream.
Having fought and finished fellow YouTuber AnEsonGib and former NBA star Nate Robinson, Paul turned his attention to mixed martial artists.
In three 2021 bouts, he knocked out former ONE and Bellator welterweight champion Ben Askren and defeated former 170-pound UFC titleholder Tyron Woodley twice, once on the scorecards and once with a brutal KO.
https://www.instagram.com/p/CXp11JYOGY4/
In his quest for more eyeballs, bigger paychecks, and, if you believe it to be genuine, better pay for fighters, Paul has consistently called out and berated Dana White, the leading man for the world’s premier MMA promotion.
Despite all that, and in spite of his responses and accusations of steroid usage directed at the Cleveland native, White maintains that he doesn’t actually hate Paul. Instead, the 52-year-old sees “The Problem Child” as a kid who is simply “doing his thing” and making money, something White says he’d never criticize.
“He really hasn’t been a thorn in my side. I don’t hate the guy like people think I hate him,” White told Manouk Akopyan. “You know, he’s out there doing his thing. He’s a young guy who’s got a fanbase and is trying to make some money. I don’t ever fault anybody for that.”
Nevertheless, White has appeared unlikely to ever consider doing business with the 25-year-old star.
But citing the blockbuster ‘Money Fight’ between Floyd Mayweather and Conor McGregor in 2017 as an example of fan demand pushing him into the crossover market, the UFC kingpin hinted he’d be open to joining the ongoing surge in crossover bouts if the desire for him to do so reaches a similar level to what it did four years ago.
“It’s a tough one. Obviously, when there’s this underground swell from the fans and the media and the thing builds up into something like Mayweather vs. McGregor was, you know, you saw how that worked out, I ended up doing it,” added White. “But I haven’t seen anything that big and that crazy since… If there’s a fight that could be made with some of this other stuff that’s that big that my fans really wanna see it, I usually do it.”
Year 25 goals:
1) Get better every single day & enjoy every moment doing it
While White continues to put together and host weekly fight cards, Paul will seemingly continue his unbeaten venture into the squared circle, with UFC stars Nate Diaz and Masvidal on his radar.
Should Paul continue to gain momentum and popularity in the combat sports realm, perhaps we’ll eventually see him enter the Octagon or do business in some way or another with White.
Can you picture Dana White ever doing business with Jake Paul?
Now, just recently, UFC Heavyweight Champion Francis Ngannou said he wouldn’t fight for the UFC again on his current contract.
“No, I will not fight for $500,000, $600,000 anymore,” Ngannou said to ESPN. “I mean, it’s over. It’s over. I just did this. I took this fight for a personal reason, and I want to make sure that regardless, even if it’s unfair, I have been wrongly treated, I can make my case to say I have completed the eight fights. But no.”
To no surprise, that got the attention of Jake Paul who took to social media to let Dana White know he is working on something big.
give this man what he wants Dana. such a fucked up company to be apart of… I got something coming soon… https://t.co/nYIiEyJAlr
“give this man what he wants Dana. such a f****d company to be apart of… I got something coming soon,” Paul wrote on social media.
Although many MMA fighters have criticized Jake Paul, he has been vocal in wanting to help fighters get paid more. He donated to former UFC fighter, Sarah Alpar’s GoFundMe to help with her training.
Paul has also offered to retire from boxing and take an MMA fight in the UFC if White ups the minimum amount of pay to $50,000 a fight. However, that still has not happened, so by all outward appearances, the YouTuber-turned-boxer will continue to be an advocate for fighter pay in an attempt to get UFC fighters to make more money.
Jake Paul is coming off a sixth-round KO win over Tyron Woodley back in December, which improved his record to 5-0.
What do you make of Jake Paul being an advocate for fighter pay?
If you’re interested in seeing a boxing match between Jake Paul and Mike Tyson, don’t get too excited.
The boxing legend recently took to social media to deny reports of a potential fight between them. Tyson took to Twitter on Monday in response to a report, stating that he didn’t even know about this matchup. He also claimed he recently saw Paul in person and that discussions of a fight didn’t come up.
This is new to me. I saw Jake in St. Barths and he never mentioned it. https://t.co/eL01HDMdmr
“This is [fight] new to me,” said Tyson on social media. “I saw Jake in St. Barths and he never mentioned it.”
Tyson was replying to a report released earlier today by The Sun Online that stated Tyson and Paul had verbally agreed to fight
Jake Paul is coming off an active 2021 campaign. First, he knocked out Ben Askren in April before fighting Tyron Woodley twice before the close of the year. First, he defeated Woodley via split decision in August. Then, he knocked out the former UFC champion on December 18.
Jake Paul, Tyron Woodley, Credit: AP Photo
Earlier boxing appearances saw him knock out former NBA player Nate Robinson in November 2020 and another KO win over YouTuber AnEsonGib in January of the same year.
Tyson, a former heavyweight prizefighter with a decorated record, last fought as a pro in 2005. However, he made his return to action in 2020, fighting fellow legend Roy Jones Jr. in an exhibition contest. The fight didn’t count towards either fighter’s pro records, but was scored a draw after eight rounds of action.
After the fight, Tyson mentioned his plans to keep his fighting career going.
Tyson, now 55 years old, is best recognized for his run as a heavyweight champion in the 1980s and 1990s.
Do you see a fight between Jake Paul and Mike Tyson as plausible?
With Fury being out, Paul then rematched Tyron Woodley who he subsequently knocked out in the sixth round. Since then, Tommy Fury has made it clear he wants that fight back and says the ball is in Jake Paul’s court to make it happen.
“Make no mistake, that’s the fight I want next and I’ll always be checking in with my team every day to see where we’re up to with that,” Fury said on The MMA Hour. “But there comes a time where I have my own career. My goal still doesn’t change. My goal is to be a champion in this sport and, believe it or not, fighting Jake Paul doesn’t give me that at all. Fighting Jake Paul will never make me a champion in boxing. So, Jake Paul, yeah it’s a great fight, it’s a big fight, but it doesn’t really make me achieve my dreams.
Jake Paul, Tommy Fury (Image Credits: Mike Ehrmann/Jason Miller/Getty Images)
“So at the end of the day, I’ll wait for a certain amount of time. I’m trying my best to get this fight back on track,” Fury continued. “You talk to anybody, this is the fight I wan. I’ll wait for him an amount of time, it comes off, great, if it doesn’t, I will resume my career and start winning some titles. That’s just the way life is.
“The ball is in Jake Paul’s court now. I’m doing everything I can with my team to get this fight rescheduled.”
Jake Paul had said he wanted to take some time off after his last win so whether or not the Tommy Fury fight will be rescheduled is uncertain. If it isn’t, the 7-0 boxer in Fury will look to make his return in the spring as he looks to eventually become a world champion.
Do you think we will see Jake Paul vs. Tommy Fury next?
Daniel Cormier is not keen on the idea of Jake Paul joining his gym.
Jake Paul has taken the world of boxing by storm. He might be one of the most talked-about fighters on the planet. Now, he is teasing a transition to MMA and wants to train at one of the best gyms in the country, American Kickboxing Academy (AKA). That gym is home to some of the best the UFC has ever seen, including Khabib Nurmagomeodv, Cain Velasquez, and Daniel Cormier.
Recently, AKA Head Coach Javier Mendez spoke about Paul possibly joining the gym. He expressed admiration for what Paul has done to get his fight career off the ground but also mentioned that the team needs to vote on him joining and if anyone is against it he would not be welcome. One man is already speaking out against the move. That man is Daniel Cormier.
“No, I have no interest in that,” Cormier told The Schmo on his Youtube channel. “It seems like a lot of ploys, right? It’s always ploys. I don’t know how true much of it is, but it seems like a ploy to me, so I’m not going to play that game.”
Cormier is retired from MMA and is likely not going to fight Paul at all. However, retired fighters are exactly who Paul targets. And with the amount of money offered in Paul’s bouts, Cormier, who has a huge weight advantage, might just be persuaded to take one more fight.
Do you think Daniel Cormier would ever fight Jake Paul in MMA or boxing?
Jake Paul seems intent on transitioning to MMA in the future, and his boxing coach BJ Flores is optimistic about his chances in the cage.
Paul most recently knocked out former UFC champion Tyron Woodley in the sixth round of their rematch. Leading up to the fight, he hinted at a future move to MMA after he gets a few more boxing fights on his record.
In the meantime, Paul has been calling out some of MMA’s biggest stars, including Nate Diaz and Conor McGregor. Before his wins over Woodley, he earned a vicious knockout over former Bellator champion Ben Askren.
“He’s just a well-rounded kid,” Flores said. “If he wants to learn how to kick, if he wants to do an MMA fight, [Paul should] do it 100%.”
“I’ll help any way I can, anywhere possible. Like it’s not about me, it’s about him. If that’s the direction he wants to go, no problem. He’ll be good at anything he does, trust me.” (h/t MiddleEasy)
Jake Paul Has Been In Talks With American Kickboxing Academy
Paul revealed that he’s been in contact with the American Kickboxing Academy, the home of former champions Daniel Cormier and Khabib Nurmagomedov, to eventually train MMA. It’s unclear when he’ll begin his planned move to the cage.
Paul has also been a vocal component of the UFC fighter pay issue. He’s poked at UFC president Dana White for underpaying fighters and not giving the roster long-term health care benefits.
Paul has taken the boxing world by storm over the past year, and he has the potential to attract a lot of attention in a possible move to MMA.
Jake Paul has been teasing a transition to MMA, which he recently stated would include training with AKA.
Jake Paul has taken the world of boxing by storm. He burst onto the scene and began to dismantle former UFC fighters one by one. Now, he is teasing a transition to MMA to continue his rise in combat sports.
Recently, he teased that he will be joining the top MMA gym American Kickboxing Academy (AKA). This is the home gym for UFC greats Khabib Nurmagomedov, Daniel Cormier, and Cain Velasquez. Head coach of AKA Javier Mendez addressed this rumor of Paul joining the team in an interview with The Schmo.
“It could happen. But like anybody, we have to go through all the coaches and all the fighters that are here,” Mendez explained. “And anybody that’s a famous athlete like him, they would go through the routine that everybody does. So he would have to get voted by everybody—not everybody. If there’s one person in particular that doesn’t want him here for that particular reason, he can’t be here.”
Although Mendez is impressed with what Paul has been able to do so far in the boxing world, that doesn’t mean he will have the same effect in MMA. AKA has been the home to many top-ranked UFC fighters over the years but the addition of Paul could make some new waves for the gym. Mendez likes the fire Paul has lit for himself so far but says there have yet to be any actual discussions of Paul joining the team.
“First of all, he’s never asked. What he’s done is he’s marketed himself out there beautifully,” Mendez said. “I love the plug he gave us. I think it was a fantastic plug, and I think he is a fantastic person, and I think that he markets himself fantastic. I love what he does. He creates interest. How could you not like a guy who creates interest?”
Although there seems to be some level of interest from both parties, the deal to have Paul join the likes of Nurmagmoedov is far from set. Paul was involved with a public spat with AKA alum Daniel Cormier last year. The animosity between these two could be one thing that prevents the YouTuber from joining the AKA ranks, as everyone at AKA would have to sign off on his membership.
“I sent him a text of encouragement, a heartfelt message. I felt it was the right type of message to send because it was legit,” Mendez said. “And he, in turn, returned the favor by talking about training with us. But the reality is that no matter who you are, it could be the greatest fighter whatever you still have to go through the team to consent to train with us.”
Would you like to see Paul join AKA and begin his MMA career under Mendez and Nurmagomedov?
The polarizing YouTuber turned boxer Jake Paul is moving on from the idea of a Tommy Fury fight as he turns his attention to Julio César Chávez Jr.
There had been reports of Paul being interested in fighting Chávez Jr. since days after his Tyron Woodley rematch, and Chávez Jr. has also discussed the potential bout. Paul was originally supposed to face Tommy Fury instead of Woodley, but Fury pulled out of the fight roughly two weeks prior to the event.
During a recent interview on the Boxing with Chris Mannix podcast, Paul confirmed his interest in a possible matchup with Chávez Jr. for his next challenge in the ring instead of rescheduling the Fury Fight.
“It’s interesting. I like that fight a lot, because it silences the critics,” Paul said.
“He was a former world champion, and I know I could beat him. And you look at his record, it’s like 50 wins or something, and I don’t even know the losses, but it’s a good record. So that challenge excites me and I’m down.
“And this is what people don’t understand is that, even after I knocked out Woodley, they were all like, ‘Fight a real boxer.’
“I’m like, ‘You guys, I tried, and he dropped out of the fight two weeks before.’ So I want to fight a real boxer, newsflash, and I’m going to. Just have some f*cking patience.” (h/t MMA Fighting)
Jake Paul Has Hinted At Taking Time Off From Boxing
Despite speculation running rampant regarding Paul’s next fight, he has alluded to taking some time off from the ring after a busy 2021. Paul earned a vicious knockout over Ben Askren before back-to-back wins over Woodley.
Paul first hinted at taking time off from the ring after his split-decision win over Woodley last August. However, his interest in fighting Chavez Jr. may lure him back to the fight game sooner than expected.
Paul has remained active in the gym and on social media, as shown in recent footage of him practicing leg kicks in a teased move to MMA. Fans and critics of Paul have called for him to face a true boxer over the past year, and it sounds like it could be close to happening.
UK professional boxer Tommy Fury is looking to re-arrange his grudge match with YouTuber-turned-boxer Jake Paul, and says he’s “ready to go” in March.
Right now, fans and pundits should be discussing the result and fallout of December 18’s Fury vs. Paul clash. Instead, they’ve been left wondering whether we’ll see the fight at all.
With his second win against “The Chosen One” and his callouts since, it remains to be seen whether we’ll see Paul settle his differences with Fury inside the squared circle. One thing that’s certain: the English party wants the fight booked.
During a recent appearance on Ariel Helwani’s The MMA Hour, Fury stated there’s “unfinished business” between himself and the YouTuber-turned-boxer. He then provided an update on his recovery, claiming he’ll be ready to throw hands with Paul as soon as March.
“There is unfinished business here, and this fight has to take place,” said Fury. “My recovery process is going amazing. I’ve got another MRI booked in for the middle of this month to see where the rib is. Once I get confirmation that it’s healing or it’s healed, or whatever I’m up to, then I’ll return back to the gym and I’ll be ready to go.
“I said in a recent interview, I’ll be ready to go in March,” Fury added. “If Jake Paul really is serious about boxing, I’m ready to go in March. What happened in December was out of my hands, but March, I’m ready.”
https://www.instagram.com/p/CXp11JYOGY4/
In Fury’s absence, Paul brutally knocked out Woodley in Florida. While the win didn’t legitimize his presence in the ring as much as a victory over Fury would have, it certainly went some lengths to doing so.
Jake Paul has responded to claims that his sixth-round KO over Tyron Woodley was lucky.
In the rematch, both Paul and Woodley hesitant were to throw much volume but in the sixth round, Paul landed a vicious right hand that put Woodley out cold. Although many were critical of his performance, according to “The Problem Child,” he was setting up that shot the entire fight.
“I’ve done that to every single person that I’ve fought,” Paul said during an episode of Boxing with Chris Mannix as a rebuttal to those who claim the punch was lucky. “So it’s not like I’ve knocked out everyone in a violent fashion in one way or another. My power is only increasing, and I set up the shot, you watch the whole sequence.
“I think I see his hand come flying down, I think again, go to the body, and then bring it up top with all my power and brought my hips through,” Paul continued. “It’s not lucky, look at all the people that Tyron Woodley has been in there with, and he’s never been KO’d like that.”
Jake Paul, Image Credit: (Photo by Eric Espada/Getty Images)
With the KO win over Tyron Woodley, Jake Paul improved to 5-0 and continues to be a big name in boxing. However, after his last win, he said he wants some time off and will likely return in the summer. Who he fights in his return is uncertain.
Regardless, Jake Paul is still set on continuing his boxing career following his violent KO win over Woodley in December. The fight also marked the end of his two-fight Showtime deal.
Do you think Jake Paul’s KO win over Tyron Woodley was lucky?
UFC Bantamweight Champion Aljamain Sterling likes Jake Paul’s chances in a hypothetical boxing match against MMA legend Anderson Silva.
Paul wrapped up his impressive run in 2021 with back-to-back wins over former UFC champion Tyron Woodley. An undefeated boxer, Paul was originally scheduled to face Tommy Fury before Fury pulled out with an injury.
Speculation has run rampant regarding who Paul could face next in the boxing ring. One of the names that has come up is Silva, who was allegedly in brief talks to fight Jake’s brother Logan before negotiations stalled.
“I know Anderson Silva was supposedly a frontrunner to fight Jake,” Sterling said. “If Jake were to connect, I think he would really hurt Anderson. I think Paul is going to tie him up, lean on him. He’s a young guy, he’s going to grab him. Against Woodley, he clinched 30 times over the first five rounds. With this one, Silva’s got hands. But the only thing is, can he take a shot?”
Following his latest knockout win over Woodley, Paul alluded to taking some time away from the boxing spotlight. He’s allegedly anticipating a return to the ring this summer, although a scheduled fight earlier is certainly possible.
Silva most recently defeated former UFC colleague Tito Ortiz in a first-round knockout. Before that, he had defeated Julio César Chávez in an impressive decision victory.
Silva has vocalized his interest in boxing the Paul brothers at some point, although it’s unclear if a fight between the two sides will come to fruition. He’s also hinted at a potential boxing rematch against Vitor Belfort.
Paul seems determined to continue to fight MMA stars, including Nate Diaz and Conor Mcgregor. However, Silva could be a name to watch for a potential bout in 2022.
Do you agree with Aljamain Sterling? Would Jake Paul “hurt” Anderson Silva in a boxing match?
Tommy Fury’s decision to pull out of his originally scheduled fight with Jake Paul was more difficult to make than most were poised to believe.
Fury defeated Anthony Taylor on the first Paul vs. Tyron Woodley card in 2021 before agreeing to a fight with Paul next. The buildup to the Fury vs. Paul fight began backstage in Cleveland when their respective teams nearly came to blows.
The fight was expected to be a true test for Paul, who arguably hasn’t faced a true boxer in his young fighting career. Just weeks before the event, Fury withdrew due to a chest infection and rib injury.
“When I made the call, to call this fight off, me and my team, that was probably the darkest days that I’ve had in my life so far,” Fury said. “Because when you train as a kid for that particular night, you know, the big headlining show in Florida, in America, streamed all over the world, that’s the moment you train for all your life.
When it gets ripped away from you through no fault of your own really, it’s devastating. That was the darkest time of my life.
“But I’ve said to myself I’m not gonna let that carry on into next year. This year is all about positivity. I’m leaving all those setbacks in 2021.”
Tommy Fury Still Thinks Jake Paul Rescheduled Bout Is Fight To Make
Paul won back-to-back fights over Woodley in 2021. Before that, he earned a vicious first-round knockout over former UFC fighter Ben Askren. Both he and Fury are undefeated in their young boxing tenures.
Tommy, the younger brother of heavyweight champion Tyson Fury, has been tabbed as a legitimate boxing prospect in recent years. But despite his flawless record, his strength of competition hasn’t exactly been stellar, with many of his opponents having abysmal records.
It’s unclear whether or not Fury vs. Paul will happen next, as Paul has alluded to taking some time off and returning in the summer. In the meantime, Fury sounds hellbent on getting the fight rescheduled and settling their beef inside the ring.
How do you think a Jake Paul-Tommy Fury fight plays out?
Jake Paul has dropped a pair of hints that suggest he is preparing to make a jump over to MMA.
Jake Paul has been linked to MMA arguably more than any boxer in history. Between the handpicked MMA opponents, the feud with the biggest promoter in the sport, and the neverending banter with MMA fighters on social media, Paul has remained a steady presence in MMA headlines.
Today’s Jake Paul/MMA story isn’t about callouts, trash-talking, or even another round of commentary about UFC fighter pay. It’s about Paul appearing to take the first steps to now become the cross-over athlete himself with a potential move to MMA.
Friday, Paul released the following tweet that showed himself training kicks for the first time.
“1st day training kicks. Doubted every step of the way.. but kick down the doors of the doubters. @bellatormma@pflmma.”
What’s every bit as noteworthy as Paul revealing that he’s training leg kicks is the fact that he went out of his way to tag Bellator’s and PFL’s Twitter handles, hinting that these could be where he ultimately takes his finished MMA product if and when it’s ready for presentation.
Scott Coker has already confirmed that he would be more than happy to welcome Paul into the Bellator fold with open arms. And Friday night, an unconfirmed report began to circulate that Paul is in talks to sign with the PFL. Conspicuously absent from Paul’s tag roster is the UFC. This no doubt is mostly because of the YouTuber’s contentious relationship with company president Dana White.
However, over the past week, Paul did state that he would be open to an MMA fight against Jorge Masvidal if White provided better pay and benefits to UFC fighters. As expected, White did not comply, which leaves a Jake Paul/UFC partnership just as unlikely today as it’s been over the entire past year.
As her ongoing feud with Jake Paul continues, Claressa Shields has denied having knowledge of her manager’s apparent pursuit to get her onto the YouTuber’s cards.
The rivalry picked up when Paul chose to mock Shields following her first professional loss in combat sports last October. Having won her MMA debut with a memorable comeback, Shields was unable to overcome her ground deficiencies when she met Abigail Montes at the 2021 PFL Finale.
Abigail Montes, Claressa Shields, Jake Paul
After “The Problem Child” branded Shields a “loser” for her two-fight MMA career and attitude, the two-time Olympic gold medalist hit back on Twitter.
😂 this is funny. You come running when I lose a split decision in a while new world mma but never even once said “congrats on all you’ve done and aspire to do.” 2 things that remain Jake, I still fight better than you & you won’t accomplish 10% of what I have in boxing or life https://t.co/V6TpqSNkQW
“This is funny. You come running when I lose a split decision in a while new world mma but never even once said “congrats on all you’ve done and aspire to do.” 2 things that remain Jake, I still fight better than you & you won’t accomplish 10% of what I have in boxing or life.”
Fast forward just over a month of further exchanges and Paul’s management team BAVAFA Sports made a surprising claim. In their own social media post, they suggested Shields’ team had been trying to get onto the YouTuber-turned-boxer’s cards, a sentiment shared by Paul to USA Today Sports+.
“We didn’t want her on for many different reasons. She took that to heart,” claimed Paul.
What’s hilarious is the multiple times you and your team tried to be a part of a Jake Paul event. Time reveals all. #Receipts
Unsurprisingly, Shields wasn’t about to let her reputation be damaged without a fight. In a Twitter rant, the 26-year-old threatened to sue Paul and his team for defamation.
@BAVAFASports y’all bout to get sued! Because Claressa Shields ain’t never asked to be on Jake Paul undercard. You sound crazy as hell! My lawyer will be reaching out though! Use my name for clout. I’ll use your name for a check 💰 losers
In the tweet from Jake Paul’s management team, they hinted at having “receipts” that supported their claims. In leaked emails obtained by USA Today Sports+, that evidence has now come to light, and it makes for pretty grim reading for Shields and her team.
In correspondences sent to Paul’s manager Nakisa Bidarian by Shields’ manager Mark Taffet and promoter Dmitry Salita, the boxing champion’s team apparently pushed to get their client on two cards that featured Paul.
Per USA Today Sports+’s review of the emails, an initial pursuit of a place for Shields on the Mike Tyson vs. Roy Jones Jr. card in November 2020 didn’t come to fruition.
Discussing why there was no place for the “GWOAT,” Bidarian, who assisted Triller’s Ryan Kavanaugh ahead of the event, suggested she simply didn’t have the numbers or viewers to justify the remuneration her manager was after.
“Claressa is obviously one of the best female boxers of all time, but the numbers (of viewers) she has didn’t make sense for us in terms of what Mark was hoping to achieve for her (in purse money), so I didn’t think it added to the Tyson-Jones pay-per-view, which ended up being the eighth largest in history,” said Bidarian.
While Shields was seemingly snubbed, Paul featured on the undercard, brutally knocking out former NBA star Nate Robinson and further extending his venture into the sport of boxing.
https://www.instagram.com/p/CW00aVEpEAH/
Shields’ Manager Tries Again…
In another leaked email the next year, Taffet allegedly requested a spot for Shields on the April 17 card, which was built around and headlined by Paul’s clash with former ONE and Bellator welterweight titleholder Ben Askren.
Given Shields’ insistence that she’d never even think of competing on one of the Cleveland native’s cards, this revelation is more than shocking.
The leaked email, sent by Taffet to Bidarian on March 15, included Shields’ impressive feat of becoming the first boxer in history to simultaneously hold all four major world titles across two weight classes and championed for Triller to include her on their card.
“Claressa had a historic win … to become the first man or woman in the four-belt era to win an undisputed world title in two weight divisions. We are now beginning a plan for our next few fights, and would love to discuss out plan with you to see if Triller is interested in being the video platform of the world’s greatest female fighter. We would love to participate on your April 17 card if you have a slot available.”
After acknowledging Showtime’s decision to cut ties with Shields due to a disappointingly-low viewership, Bidarian, who is also a former UFC chief financial officer, turned down the request, and the card proceeded without the presence of the Michigan native.
“There wasn’t a business need that made sense and Jake had not started to focus on, ‘What can I do for boxing as a whole?’” Bidarian said. “Jake was still focused on building his own foothold into boxing.”
https://www.instagram.com/p/CODXi9QLN4p/
Shields: “I Don’t Care What The Email Says”
Given Claressa Shields’ consistent and stern rebuttal that she wouldn’t consider fighting on a Jake Paul card, which has even seen legal threats and defamation claims, the leaked emails are certainly a less-than-positive look for her and her team.
With that in mind, it’s unsurprising she was quick to deny knowledge of them ever being sent or of her manager’s efforts to secure her place on the November 2020 and April 2021 cards.
Reacting to the emails, she told USA Today Sports+ there was “never” an instance where she was meant to or planning on competing at an event featuring “The Problem Chid,” nor would she ever consider doing so, no matter the size of the pay check.
“I was never, ever supposed to fight on an undercard of Jake Paul. I don’t care what the email says,” Shields said. “I would never do that, no matter how much they’re paying me. And everything has to go through me.”
Whether or not she had knowledge of the emails is one thing, but the fact her team sent them, knowing her apparent and public stance on the matter now, is surprising. Discussing why Paul’s team chose to release the emails to USA Today Sports+, Bidarian said they weren’t ready to let Shields “belittle” Paul.
“The only reason we’re bringing this to light is because Claressa has felt this need to belittle Jake Paul,” Bidarian said. “The only thing we’re responding with now is, ‘Hey, we have the receipts: You guys were trying to get on Jake Paul’s cards.’”
Despite her denial, some will certainly suggest Shields was open to doing business with Paul prior to their feud igniting later in 2021.
If Shields did have no idea of her team’s efforts to work with Paul’s team, it will likely have sparked a heated debate within the boxing champion’s camp, something she’ll hope to have resolved when she returns to action.
After professional boxing was suspended in the UK throughout January due to COVID-19, Shields’ scheduled clash with Slovenia’s Ema Kozin has been pushed back to February 5.
Whether this feud will die down or remain as heated as ever is anyone’s guess, but with Shields’ ongoing pursuit of glory both inside the ring and the cage and Paul’s blossoming venture into the ring set to continue throughout 2022, both will certainly have their hands full between the ropes.
What do you make of Shields’ team’s apparent attempts to get her onto the same cards as Jake Paul?
Jake Paul has taken the boxing world by storm, and he has now been named Sports Illustrated Breakout Boxer of the Year.
Paul made his pro debut in 2020 where he scored a first-round TKO over fellow YouTuber, AnEsonGib. He followed that up with a vicious knockout win over Nate Robinson in November, but in 2021, he had a phenomenal year.
Paul headlined a Triller Fight Club pay-per-view against Ben Askren, where he scored a first-round knockout. After the fight, he signed with Showtime boxing and fought former UFC champion, Tyron Woodley, in August in the main event of a pay-per-view card where he edged out a split decision. Although going 2-0 in the year is good for many boxers, Paul fought one more time as he rematched Woodley in December and scored a violent sixth-round KO.
Now, after going 3-0 in 2021 and being a big name in boxing, Sports Illustrated named him their Breakout Boxer of the Year, which Paul is blown away by.
Some reflection after winning “Breakout Boxer of The Year”
“Today I’m overwhelmed with many emotions and a deep feeling of gratitude. Less than 2 years ago I made my professional debut after having 1 amateur fight that lasted 5 rounds and now today, I won Sports Illustrated Breakout Boxer of the Year. Wow,” Paul wrote on social media. “I got into boxing because I needed a new calling in life and in the process I fell in love with this amazing sport and decided to dedicate my entire life to it. I saw a ton of room for innovation and had a vision of being able to change this sport forever. People laughed in my face and talked s*** in every gym I went to. They told me I couldn’t become a real boxer because I was a “YouTuber” and that nobody would take me seriously. I laughed right back.”
Right now, Jake Paul does not have his next fight booked but he mentioned he wants some time off and will likely return in the summer. When he does, it will no doubt be another big fight as Paul looks to continue his success in boxing.
What do you make of Jake Paul winning SI’s Breakout Boxer of the Year?
Tommy Fury still hopes to meet Jake Paul inside the ring this year, and believes “The Problem Child” has to reschedule their clash if he’s “serious” about fighting.
Having built an unblemished 4-0 record that included victories over YouTuber AnEsonGib, former NBA star Nate Robinson, and former MMA champions Ben Askren and Tyron Woodley, Paul was set for his first test against a professional boxer in the form of Fury last month.
While the now-5-0 Paul ponders his next opponent and step in combat sports, Fury looks set to continue pushing for a rescheduled date with the Cleveland native.
Paul Is Still The Fight Fury Wants
Despite claiming he’s targeting titles and killers in the ring this year, Fury has admitted the scale of a matchup with a star like Paul, along with the handsome paycheck, has him keen on putting the fight back together. But with Paul’s focus seemingly being on UFC stars Jorge Masvidal and Nate Diaz, it remains to be seen if his wish will be granted.
“My only thing that I wanna get done now is this fight to reschedule,” said Fury. “When somebody gets an injury that is out of their hands, completely out the hands with a broken rib, the first thing that I’d look to do, if I’m serious about fighting and seriously think I could’ve beat that guy, I would have thought, ‘Okay, no problem, you’re out, when can we reschedule?’ I’d wanna reschedule, and I’d want to prove to the world that I can beat a serious boxer, not just another MMA guy.
“That’s what we’re trying to get over at the minute. I know he’s offering (fights) to all kinds of people, but the fact of the matter is, there’s unfinished business here and this fight needs to take place,” added Fury. “How can he be serious about fighting if he’s never fought a boxer before? How can he be serious about this?
“He keeps referring to the UFC, if he wants to go and fight in the UFC, don’t put a pair of boxing gloves on. Don’t call yourself a boxer if you’ve never even fought one.”
Dana last day to accept my offer…you are a good negotiator. In an effort to bridge the gap, I’m willing to reduce my ask to $40K min, 40% rev for first 5 years and long term health care. Deal?
Or are you making another selfie video showing the world how much I’m in your head?
In recent days, Jake Paul has actually created an opportunity for his presence in the sport of boxing to dwindle. Taking on Dana White and the UFC’s fighter pay structure, as he often has since stepping into the combat sports limelight, “The Problem Child” laid down a challenge.
He’s offered to enter the USADA testing pool for a fight against Masvidal inside the Octagon, and with it, his retirement from boxing. For that to happen, White must fulfill a number of clauses relating to the pay of UFC athletes and healthcare coverage.
With White’s hatred of Paul meaning the offer is extremely unlikely to be met with a serious response, it stands to reason we’ll be seeing the YouTube star enter the squared circle again in 2022. Tommy Fury will be hoping he’s the one standing opposite Paul when it happens.
Do you think Jake Paul should reschedule his fight with Tommy Fury next?
Dana White’s accusation against Jake Paul for steroid usage was dealt a blow Wednesday when it was revealed that the YouTuber once again tested negative for banned substances.
Last month, Jake Paul landed a kill shot on his rivalry with Tyron Woodley when he KO’d “The Chosen One” in the sixth round of their rematch. Though his hand was raised after sleeping T-Wood, he still was battling accusations of steroid abuse, including from arch-nemesis Dana White.
White implied that Paul uses steroids in his recent retort to the YouTuber’s request to fight UFC-contracted stars. Instead of granting Paul his blessing, White instead threw the following proposal at him.
“I got a challenge for Jake Paul. This guy keeps saying that I’m a cokehead. He can randomly cocaine test me for the next 10 years if I can randomly steroid test him for the next two,” White said in an appearance on “The FIGHT with Teddy Atlas.”
When Paul responded with a counteroffer, calling on White to increase pay and benefits to UFC fighters, White was more direct with his accusation.
“Jake, you never responded to the challenge. You publicly stated that I use cocaine. I do not. So I told you you could randomly cocaine test me for the next 10 years. I believe that you’re a cheater, and I believe that you use steroids. So I want to randomly steroid test you for the next two years.”
Of course, Paul has denied any steroid usage with only his own testimony, but now The Sun has reported that his post-fight test results following his rematch with Woodley came back negative. This report was released the same day Paul dropped the following tweet that challenged the logic behind White’s accusation.
Dana White claimed my fights are fixed and THEN claimed I’m on steroids… So I’m on steroids to win fights that are already fixed for me to win? Sounds logical…
“Dana White claimed my fights are fixed and THEN claimed I’m on steroids… So I’m on steroids to win fights that are already fixed for me to win? Sounds logical…”
Jake Paul has never failed a drug test thus far in his young career, nor has he suffered a defeat in the boxing ring. His next opponent is yet to be announced.
Meanwhile, today is the final day for Dana White to accept Paul’s proposal that would see him retire from boxing if White agrees to his terms to improve the promotion’s pay and benefits of its fighters.
Chael Sonnen has been impressed by Jake Paul’s young boxing career, and he sees some likenesses to that of former UFC champion Conor McGregor.
Paul is fresh off his sixth-round knockout over another former UFC champion, Tyron Woodley, to remain undefeated in the ring. In 2021, he earned back-to-back wins over Woodley along with a vicious knockout of Ben Askren.
There’s no question that Paul has great ambitions in boxing, as evidenced by recent callouts of Jorge Masvidal, Nate Diaz, and McGregor. While he has been criticized for his lack of true boxing competition, he seems intent on continuing the ‘MMA vs. Boxing’ storyline.
During a recent segment on his YouTube channel, Sonnen explains what he thinks so highly of Paul despite being just a few fights into his boxing career.
“Jake Paul had a crazy idea that he’s going to go into a sport of which he does not belong with no amateur pedigree, no golden gloves, no lineage within the family, like you know, my uncle fought, my grandpa used to box in the Army, nothing like that,” Sonnen said. “He’s going to do well, and he’s going to headline shows with Olympians and world champions on the card. They are going to open. He is going to be the marquee fight. That is ridiculous. He did just that. Jake Paul is calling his own shots the way Conor McGregor used to do when Conor was getting his come up and then he’s seeing them through.”
Chael Sonnen Sees Eerie Parallels Between Jake Paul, Conor McGregor
Conor McGregor, Image Credit: USA TODAY Sports
Sonnen went on to point out how McGregor used to defy the odds with his fight predictions, which is similar to what Paul is doing now.
“Remember ‘Mystic Mac’ and he had a crystal ball? Conor was not only calling the stoppages, he was calling the rounds. And then once he calls the stoppages and he calls the rounds, he starts calling the technique that he’s going to stop them with. Remember when he was doing that? Jake Paul is doing the same thing.”
McGregor has dabbled into the boxing world once before when he fought Floyd Mayweather back in 2017. Despite losing via TKO, he impressed many with his ability to transition well to another sport.
Paul has claimed that he makes more than McGregor, who topped the Forbes Top 100 list in 2021. He has also teased McGregor on social media and in multiple interviews, and a big-money fight between the two of them may not be far-fetched.
Anthony Smith believes Jake Paul does care about fighter pay and wants to make a difference.
Ever since Paul has started to take boxing seriously and began boxing ex-UFC fighters he has brought up fighter pay and how Dana White doesn’t pay his fighters enough. Originally, many thought Paul was only doing that to help sell his fights and get in a rivalry with White. But for Smith, he believes Paul is being sincere.
Does Jake Paul really care about fighter pay? 👀 Anthony Smith thinks so….
Listen to what Smith (@lionheartasmith) had to say alongside @DinThomas
“I think he’s being honest, I think he does care. Here’s the deal, we have had these movements where people talk about fighter pay, it is also people it benefits,” Smith said on his radio show on Sirius XM. “In the history of the sport we have had people come from the outside and they want to seem like they are some savior and they are going to come in and save us and help us. At the end of the day, every single one of those guys has had their own end game at the end of it. Jake Paul has nothing to gain here, so I do believe it and it does sound genuine because it is a pain in the ass and it’s hard to do and he’s still attacking it.
Image via YouTube – Graham Bensinger
“He is continually bringing it up for months and months and months and he’s not letting it go… I think he actually cares and he has shown that,” Smith continued. “Even when he fought Tyron the first time he gave Tyron that little bump in pay, took some of his money, and gave it back to the other fighters so those guys got paid. The easiest way to see if someone is being true and honest is are they willing to put their money where their mouth is and he’s already pulled money out of his own pocket.”
At this point, it is hard to disagree with Anthony Smith that Jake Paul doesn’t care about fighter pay. After all, as Smith says, Paul has taken money out of his own pocket to help the cause. He has also been so vocal about it for months and even donated to Sarah Alpar so she could train full time.
Like it or not, Smith believes what Paul is doing will keep happening for quite some time and perhaps will eventually make a difference.
Do you think Jake Paul really cares about fighter pay?
Bellator President Scott Coker has reiterated his willingness to bring Jake Paul over to MMA should the YouTuber-turned-boxer wish to switch sports.
As unlikely as it would have seemed a few years ago, Paul, a successful online personality and former Disney star, has become the newest sensation and big name in combat sports. Whether fans like him, hate him, respect him, or wish him to be gone, Paul’s impact in boxing can’t be denied.
In 2020, Paul began professional boxing venture. “The Problem Child” has built a perfect 5-0 record, with his level of opposition increasing with each appearance. After finishing fellow YouTube celebrity AnEsonGib and former NBA star Nate Robinson, Paul turned his attention to MMA fighters.
First came Ben Askren. The former ONE and Bellator welterweight champion was stopped inside one round. His friend and teammate Tyron Woodley then took up the challenge. As a former 170-pound UFC titleholder, many expected him to be the one to halt Paul’s presence in the sport.
Instead, the 24-year-old defeated Woodley twice, once via split decision last August and then by way of a brutal knockout four months later.
https://www.instagram.com/p/CXp4XEWlcyd/
Coker Is Open To Doing Business With Paul
Paul’s ongoing journey in combat sports has certainly split opinion. While some, criticize the money he earns in boxing, the opposition he’s faced, and his outgoing personality, others have praised his impact in the sport, his willingness to face professional MMA stars, and his decision to speak out against the fighter pay structure in the UFC.
“I always said, ‘Look, these guys are real athletes, and they’re young, they work hard, they’re grinding it out. They’re putting in the work. You can’t take that away from them, and they’re getting better and better and better. What you saw with Woodley, that’s a lot of hard work to get to that point. I’ve never seen Woodley get knocked out like that, right? And so, is it just boxing? Yes. So, I always said, ‘Look, man, don’t underestimate these guys,’ and this was like a year-and-a-half ago.”
Coker went on to reiterate his openness for a business deal between his promotion and Paul. The former Strikeforce CEO suggested that if the 24-year-old wants to make the transition to mixed martial arts, Bellator will be waiting with open arms.
“If you want to come into MMA, we would gladly do it,” Coker said. “Think about this: He’s not saying, ‘I’m going to go train here. I’m going to go train there.’ He’s going to come to one of the best gyms in the planet, where Khabib is, where Daniel Cormier is still training, where Cain Velasquez is teaching there now, and he’s going to go into an environment that he is going to flourish, and he has a wrestling background already. He has great striking, obviously. You’ve seen it, and so this guy is just going to get better and better and better. The days of him fighting basketball players or whatever, those days are over.
“He wants to do it. The only thing I will say is, my understanding is he wants to get 10 fights into boxing, and then after that come over to mixed martial arts. I know certain people feel a certain way, but I tell you, don’t underestimate these guys because when they have their minds made up, it just seems like that they’re able to fulfill their destiny, and so to me, it’s something that if they want to make it happen, we would love to do something with them and put them in some big fights and really test them out.”
How many current and former UFC fighters are actually going to get behind my offer to Dana?
Although seemingly committed to more fights inside the squared circle, Paul has appeared open to a move to the cage. In a challenge recently sent to UFC President Dana White, Paul suggested he’d fight welterweight Jorge Masvidal inside the Octagon should White meet a number of clauses, including an increase in the minimum fighter pay number.
Whether Paul is really open to testing the waters of MMA and the UFC or simply playing on a challenge he knows White won’t accept is up for debate. But one thing is for certain, “The Problem Child” has gone beyond expectation so far. Perhaps he’ll do the same in MMA over the coming years.
Would you like to see Jake Paul fight inside a UFC or Bellator MMA cage?
Jake Paul has been an advocate for fighter pay, and that has only intensified over the recent days and weeks.
Paul has taken shots at Dana White for nearly a year now on how little fighters are getting paid in the UFC. Over the past few days, he gave White an offer to increase minimum pay and give fighters health care among other things. And if White complied, Paul would retire from boxing and fight Jorge Masvidal in the UFC.
Happy new year @danawhite. Here is a real challenge for you…
I will immediately retire from boxing and fight Jorge Masvidal in the UFC if you agree to: pic.twitter.com/bJScDVITvL
“Happy new year Dana White. Here is a real challenge for you… I will immediately retire from boxing and fight Jorge Masvidal in the UFC if you agree to:
1) Increase min fighter pay per fight to $50K (it’s $12K now) 2) Guarantee UFC fighters 50% of UFC annual revenues ($1bn in 2021) 3) Provide longterm healthcare to all fighters (you previously said brain damage is part of the gig…imagine the NFL said that). There are many UFC alums who have publicly said they are suffering from brain damage
You have 5 days to accept and to implement the above by March 31, 2022. Once implemented I will immediately retire from boxing, enter USADA and agree to a 1 fight deal with UFC to fight weak chin Jorge
To all UFC fighters — time to take a stand and create value for yourselves and peers. You deserve higher pay, you deserve long term healthcare and above all you deserve freedom. Support each other. I am not your enemy, I am your advocate…who selfishly wants to KO a few of you to make some big bank.”
White, of course, did not agree to that and instead blasted Paul with accusations of steroid abuse. So the YouTuber-turned-boxer created a poll on Twitter asking fans which perk for UFC fighters takes higher priority.
Dana White has 2 days left to respond to my offer but not a peep. Dana Dana Dana?
“Dana White has 2 days left to respond to my offer but not a peep. Dana Dana Dana? What y’all think Dana should do more,” with the two options being to give fighters healthcare and increase minimum pay.
At the time of this writing, healthcare was leading with the way with nearly 58% of the votes, with 38,000 people voting.
To some, that may come as a surprise, as fighter pay is the big talking point; however, healthcare is something many people, including Paul, believe should be included for UFC fighters, especially after their career is done.
At this point, it seems like the feud between Jake Paul and Dana White is not ending anytime soon.
UFC middleweight Marvin Vettori has invited Jake Paul to a private sparring session.
Jake Paul has made no secret of his preference to face MMA fighters throughout his boxing career. Two of his viral KOs came against former champions of the sport in Ben Askren and Tyron Woodley. He has also set his sights on potential boxing matches against Jorge Masvidal, Nate Diaz, and Kamaru Usman, among others.
One name that isn’t on the list but would like to box Paul is “The Italian Dream” Marvin Vettori. Tuesday, Vettori posted the following challenge to Paul with a video attached of his colleagues discussing the potential session.
Hei Fake Paul @jakepaul let’s set up a sparring. I’ll match any bet you want. You claim anybody, anytime, anywhere but you won’t go further then 6 rounds I promise you that. Put your nuts on the table, I wanna feel if you can really box.#FakePaul#theitaliandreampic.twitter.com/0FBuSzAGu2
“Hei Fake Paul @jakepaul let’s set up a sparring. I’ll match any bet you want. You claim anybody, anytime, anywhere but you won’t go further then 6 rounds I promise you that. Put your nuts on the table, I wanna feel if you can really box.”
Ironically, it was just last year that Vettori blasted the media for its ongoing coverage of Paul. Yet, surely the outspoken middleweight must know that such a challenge, with Paul’s name directly attached to it, would receive wide attention and go viral.
In any event, Vettori is not the only person to express an eagerness to spar Jake Paul. In the case of Claressa Shields, not only did she invite Paul to spar with her, she even proposed putting up $100,000 in a winner-take-all encounter. The YouTuber never responded to the “GWOAT’s” challenge, nor has he responded to Vettori’s as of this writing.
Paul most recently knocked out Tyron Woodley in their rematch on December 18 to advance his boxing record to 5-0. Marvin Vettori last competed in October with a unanimous decision victory over Paulo Costa.
Who do you think would win in a boxing match between Jake Paul and Marvin Vettori?
Former UFC middleweight champion Robert Whittaker supports Jake Paul’s idea of the UFC brass providing healthcare to its fighters as well as other changes.
Whittaker is set to face middleweight champion Israel Adesanya in a title rematch next month at UFC 271. He has managed to get back to the title shot after winning three straight bouts, including most recently against Kelvin Gastelum and Jared Cannonier.
Paul recently offered to retire from boxing and sign a one-fight deal with the UFC if company president Dana White meets certain demands. This includes long-term healthcare for fighters, along with increasing fighter pay.
During a recent interview with Mirror, Whittaker praised the idea of giving UFC fighters additional benefits that extend long after their careers are over.
“It’s hard to say, all the chips are in the company’s playing field,” Whittaker said. “I would certainly love some healthcare, I would love that long-term post-fighting career security and I’m sure every fighter would. I would like different things to change.
Robert Whittaker (Photo: Fernando Quiles Jr./MMA News)
“But I’m not crying over spilt milk, it is what it is. I’m very blessed to be able to do what I do for a living anyway. Instead of asking for what I don’t have, I’m grateful for what I do have.”
In a preliminary response to Paul’s challenge, White hit back at Paul and accused him of steroid use. Paul had previously accused White of using cocaine without sufficient evidence.
Many fighters, including Whittaker and UFC welterweight Jorge Masvidal, have called for changes to be made to how fighters are treated by the promotion. The ongoing debate over UFC fighter pay has ramped up over the past year.
It’s unclear if the UFC has any upcoming plans to add benefits for its fighters, but Whittaker is certainly on board with Paul regarding long-term health care.
Do you think UFC fighters should receive long-term healthcare?
Julia Rose, girlfriend of Jake Paul, has lashed out at a fan for suggesting the YouTuber “fight a boxer.”
Jake Paul is rounding the new year with a joyous victory lap after knocking out Tyron Woodley last month. Since picking up that win, Paul has continued his crusade of MMA talent, looking to fight other fighters such as Nate Diaz, Kamaru Usman, and Jorge Masvidal.
These call-outs haven’t helped the narrative of Paul cherry-picking non-boxers as his opponents, with MMA fighters being considered easy targets by some. People who have pointed this out include UFC President Dana White, mainstream sports personalities like Stephen A. Smith, and of course, fans across the world.
In the comments section of a recent Instagram post by Julia Rose, one particular fan offered a way for Paul to kill this narrative: by fighting a real boxer. This led to the gentleman getting cursed out by the YouTuber’s girlfriend.
“@jakepaul fight a boxer,” the fan said with a laughing crying emoji attached.
“@jordyn_gutierrez10 please shut the fuck up respectfully. He tried to fight a boxer and that ‘boxer’ was a fucking pussy. You fight a fucking boxer,” Rose snapped back.
The boxer Rose is referring to is Tommy Fury, who was the original opponent lined up to meet Paul on December 18. Rose herself took part in the fight’s promotion, offering to mud-wrestle Fury’s girlfriend leading up to the event. However, it was all for naught, as Fury withdrew from the bout due to rib issues, prompting Woodley to step in on short notice.
Fury himself has questioned why Paul is still calling out MMA fighters, and he seems willing to rebook their fight. There is no word yet on if that will happen, but you can add that to the many 2022 Jake Paul storylines that await us.
In 2017, before Jake Paul took up combat sports, he grappled with Bellator veteran AJ Agazarm.
Agazarm is known for his jiu-jitsu and is a key member of the Diaz academy and has five fights in MMA, with all five coming in Bellator. In 2017, Agazaram had yet to fight in MMA but he grappled with Paul who was uber-famous due to his popularity on the Disney channel and YouTube. And to no surprise, Agazarm tapped Paul.
Although Paul got tapped, it shouldn’t be a surprise as Paul had never really done jiu-jitsu. He did some high school wrestling but going against a world champion in jiu-jitsu in Agazarm is a different beast.
Jake Paul, of course, has since entered the combat sports scene and is 5-0 in boxing. He’s coming off a highlight-reel KO win over Tyron Woodley in their rematch after Paul beat him by split decision in August. He also holds knockout wins over Ben Askren, Nate Robinson, and fellow YouTuber, AnEsonGib in boxing.
Although he has become a star in boxing, Paul has admitted he wants to have an MMA fight before his career is done.
“I don’t see why if I can do boxing at this high of a level that I couldn’t do MMA at this high of a level,” Paul said to ESPN. “I’m gonna go get coached up by Jav Mendez, Team Khabib. That’s that. They’re down — 100 percent… I’ve gotta go 10-0, 12-0 in boxing first and then I’ll hit that MMA fight.”
How do you think Jake Paul would do if he committed to training MMA?
