On Monday afternoon in Los Angeles, the opening press conference for Youtube/social media star-turned-boxer Jake Paul’s latest fight took place. And, the flamboyant Paul, who has four kayos in five fights, was not holding back on what he plans to do with former UFC middleweight champion Anderson Silva on Oct. 29.
Paul and Silva met with the media for the first of two times (they’ll be at the fight promotion site in Phoenix later Tuesday) as tickets are about to go on sale for their Showtime/MVP Promotions. PPV later this week.
Respect, honor and admiration. #PaulSilva pic.twitter.com/TF8Zg9nQl8
— Most Valuable Promotions (@MostVpromotions) September 13, 2022
“I signed up for the toughest sport in the world and I love it. That’s what I’m made for, and I love a challenge. I grew up idolizing (Silva). To me, this is even surreal that I’m sitting here, I need to take a moment to say, ‘Is this real with all the cameras?’ I was sitting on a couch watching this guy when he was a kid and here we are,” Paul said Monday.
“Anderson Silva is the best person and we love him. If my opponent is an idiot, I’ll treat him like an idiot and punch his butt. But I respect this man, I’m still going to knock him out, but respectfully knock him out.”
Paul was last in the ring in December, when he destroyed another former UFC welterweight champion, Tyron Woodley, with a right-handed missile KO at a Showtime PPV in Tampa, FL. Paul, 5-0. 4 KOs, he has yet to face anyone with extensive boxing experience.
Meanwhile, Silva, the former UFC middleweight champion for 16 consecutive title defenses, will be the closest thing Paul has ever faced to a boxer. This, as Silva followed up his surprising dominance of Julio Caesar Chavez, Jr. by decision with a first-round knockout of former MMA champion Tito Ortiz in Hollywood, FL last September.
Paul had tried a second time to fight English cruiserweight Tommy Fury in early August, but Tyson Fury’s half-brother Fury had visa problems getting to the US. That came and went and Paul was replaced by the son of former heavyweight champion Hasim Rahman, Jr. to try to save the main event and undercard bouts for Madison Square Garden in New York.
Unfortunately, Rahman did not follow the agreed-upon weight loss rules and Paul and MVP Promotions dropped him as well, with the entire card cancelled, as they then looked to have a different opponent and a later date.
That will now be against Silva in the Arizona desert late next month.
