If Jake Paul wants to spar UFC rising star Paddy Pimblett, he’ll have to come to him.
Paul on Tuesday offered Pimblett $1 million if he could beat him in sparring. The offer was in response to Pimblett accusing the YouTube-star-turned-professional-boxer of fixing his fights.
“I have a proposition for you,” Paul said in a video posted on Twitter. “Since you wouldn’t rig a fight, right? Let’s spar. Fly to Puerto Rico. I’ll get you a private jet. We can do five, 3-minute rounds, boxing. If you win, I’ll give you a million dollars, which is what you deserve to get paid, Paddy, but the UFC isn’t paying you that.
“But if I win you have to join the (United Fighters Association) and help me sign up all of the fighters in the U.K. So let’s spar since you wouldn’t rig a fight. I’ll fly you out, a million for you. Put your money where your mouth is. Let’s go.”
Pimblett, who faces Jared Gordon in the UFC 282 co-main event on Dec. 10 at T-Mobile Arena, responded to Paul’s challenge with a counter offer. He told Paul to meet him in Las Vegas instead.
“Of course (I’m interested), but I’m under contract by the UFC, and he said this knowing full well that I’m fighting next week,” Pimblett told TMZ. “As if he does not know I’m fighting next week, and he’s like, ‘I’ll fly you to Puerto Rico.’ Come to the PI next week. Come to the PI next week and bring $1 million in a bag, and I will spar with you.
“I’m in the PI in Vegas on Thursday. I land on Thursday, so even though I’m low on calories, and I’m only about 170, he likes picking on smaller people anyway. But if he wants to wait until after my fight, until the Monda, because I’m still in Vegas until the Tuesday, when I’m about 185, 190 pounds, I’m game. Tell him not to worry. He can come to PI and we’ll get in the cage. Simple as.”
Pimblett’s counter offer didn’t get past Paul, who responded Wednesday morning on Twitter.
Fella my team told me you have been trying to book me for ur podcast, Jan 5th. So I’m sending you a jet to bring you to Puerto Rico. Both of our teams will film. We spar, 5 rounds and then we can do your podcast. By then you will be back to your normal weight. No excuses. 🤝 ? https://t.co/3MufAO12O3
— Jake Paul (@jakepaul) November 30, 2022
As long as Pimblett is under UFC contract, he knows a boxing match with Paul won’t happen. But if they ever did fight, Pimblett thinks he would work him.
“I don’t even think he’s a bad boxer,” Pimblett said. “I think he’s a decent boxer now, because all he’s done is boxing in the past two years. I think he’d beat Tommy Fury, but I know he wouldn’t beat me.”
He continued, “Lad, I’ve been doing this a lot longer than you, mate. I’ve got more heart and grit and determination than you, and if we did get the fight done, and I just focused on boxing for three to six months, I’d punch him around the ring.”
