Jake Paul is still keen to face long-time YouTube boxing rival KSI, but believes that a fight with the Brit would be little more than a "side quest" in his boxing career.
The social media stars have been feuding since 2018, when the Brit called both Jake and his brother Logan Paul out for boxing fights after a successful debut against Joe Weller. The plan, according to KSI, had been to first face Jake and build to a bout with older sibling Logan, but when his younger brother Deji got involved, the event turned into brother vs brother.
And now, four years later after the rapper and the elder Paul had two massive pay-per-view fights ending in a draw and a win for the Brit, a potential Jake Paul vs KSI bout has become bigger than ever. They have agreed in principal to a stadium event in the UK next year, although KSI has insisted he needs a few tune-up fights before it happens.
Both men have other things going on, but are keen to settle their rivalry in the ring at some point. KSI is a chart-topping rapper with a bustling business portfolio that includes Prime Hydration and a number of brands with his Sidemen YouTube group, while Paul has recently launched betting company Betr and is a full-time professional boxer and promoter.
"It is a side quest," Paul told Mirror Fighting ahead of his fight with Anderson Silva on Saturday night. "And whenever KSI wants to volunteer for unconsciousness, I'll be ready. I'm right here. I just want to know when he wants to volunteer to be unconscious!"
The American has struggled to gain the respect of combat sports fans, even after knocking out legendary MMA champions such as Ben Askren and Tyron Woodley. And he believes that if KSI were to achieve the same feats inside the ring that he has, fans and critics would clamour to praise his British counterpart.
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And even given Silva's respect in both boxing and MMA, Paul doesn't believe that he will silence his loudest doubters on Saturday night. The Brazilian is 3-1 as a professional boxer, and since leaving the UFC has beaten an ex-world champion in Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. He also holds advantages over Paul in height and reach, but is 47-years-old which worries some experts.
"It's the name of the game," Paul explained. "Meanwhile, they'll suck KSI off for his s*** performances. I've just always had the road, the hard path and the uphill battle. I've always had to fight harder to earn people's respect, that's just the story of my life but I'm not complaining because look where it's gotten me.
"I'll just continue to prove people wrong and maybe some time in hindsight people will realise what I did for this sport. If KSI beat Tyron Woodley then they'd go 'oh my god he's the greatest ever!' It's just my path and my journey, there's nothing wrong with that, each person has their own struggles and their own battles that they have to deal with it."
