UFC president Dana White has said Jake Paul ‘has got a real fight on his hands’ if he faces Anderson Silva in October.
YouTube star Paul has gone 5-0 as a professional boxer, knocking out each man he has fought – including former UFC champion Tyron Woodley.
The 25-year-old is now reportedly in line to box another ex-UFC title holder in Silva, who is 3-1 as a professional boxer. The Brazilian, who no longer competes in the UFC but remains the MMA promotion’s longest-reigning champion ever, lost his pro boxing debut in 1998 before recording a win in 2005 and two last year.
One of the 47-year-old’s two victories in 2021 came against former boxing world champion Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. Despite Silva’s advanced age in combat sports, White believes that his former fighter would pose a stern test for American Paul.
“I don’t give a s*** what they do, you know what I mean? But if he’s really fighting Anderson Silva, if that’s true, it’s about time,” White said at a press conference on Tuesday (30 August).
“He’s got a real fight on his hands there, regardless of how old Anderson is. Yeah, that’s a real fight.”
White was then asked whether he would like to be involved in promotion for the bout if it were to come to fruition, and the 53-year-old replied: “Come on, are you serious? No, I’m not tempted to do anything.
“Stop asking me about Jake Paul, you guys. I don’t give a s*** what Jake Paul does. I know you love this s***, and I know it gives you clicks, but come on.
“Come on, the guy has nothing to do with my business. He doesn’t fight for me, he’s not even in the same f***ing sport as me. I don’t want to talk about him anymore. I don’t care.”
Silva last competed in the UFC in 2020, suffering his third straight loss in 18 months to see his professional mixed martial arts record fall to 34-11 (1 No Contest).
The Brazilian reigned as UFC middleweight champion between 2006 and 2013 – a seven-year stretch in which he went unbeaten.
