UFC boss Dana White has offered rare praise of Jake Paul following news he will he fight 47-year-old Anderson Silva.
For the first time in his short-lived boxing career, Paul will face an opponent with a professional boxing record in UFC legend Silva. Paul has faced heavy criticism for not fighting an 'actual boxer' since turning professional in 2020, having previously fought YouTuber AnEsonGib, former NBA star Nate Robinson and now-retired MMA champions Ben Askren and Tyron Woodley.
White has mocked Paul for cherry-picking his opponents in the past, but admits that he is challenging himself by facing Silva. “If he’s really fighting Anderson Silva, and that’s true, it’s about time he’s got a real fight on his hands there. Regardless of how old Anderson is, yeah, that’s a real fight," he told reporters.
Silva holds a professional record of 3-1, with his only loss taking place when he made his ring debut in 1998. The Brazilian surprised many when he outpointed former middleweight world titleholder Julio Cesar Chavez Jr last June, impressing fans again just months later when he knocked out fellow UFC legend Tito Ortiz. Silva most recently fought in May, going eight rounds with Bruno Machado in a non-scored exhibition bout.
White has been called out by Paul about UFC fighter pay as the YouTube star has challenged him to improve conditions for his athletes. Paul wants UFC fighters to earn a minimum of $50,000 a fight, receive 50 per cent of the promotion's profits and be guaranteed long-term healthcare after retiring from fighting. The 25-year-old claimed he would retire from boxing and fight Jorge Masvidal in the UFC if White accepted his demands.
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Silva was in talks to fight Jake's brother Logan last year, with the UFC legend previously showing respect for both of the Paul brothers. He told Sports Illustrated of a potential fight with either Jake or Logan: “It’s possible. People need to respect the Paul brothers. Those kids are talented, and they’ve opened people’s eyes about the good and bad in combat sports. I’m preparing my body for a challenge. We’ll see what happens."
Paul's fight against Silva, who he previously labelled as one of his role models, will mark his first of this year. 'The Problem Child' was booked to fight Tommy Fury and Hasim Rahman Jr, but both fights were cancelled as Fury was denied entry to the United States and short-notice replacement Rahman Jr, according to the YouTuber, refused to weigh-in at the agreed limit.
