Jake Paul is coming back to the ring. “The Problem Child” took to his Instagram to announce, “August, I’m back, baby. Let’s get it.” He predicted a win posting “6-0 coming soon” in the caption box.
Paul is currently 5-0 after knocking out Tyron Woodley last December. He has made a name for himself in combat sports after knocking out all his opponents and calling out professional athletes and boxers.
From an initial trepidation from the boxing community at the main event status of a former YouTube-turned-sports entertainment athlete, Paul has been relentless in pursuit of pugilistic relevance.
Paul’s Hit List
He has floated his wish list of fights, which include outlandish names for his budding pedigree. Paul targets current undisputed super middleweight champion, Saúl “Canelo” Alvarez, iconic heavyweight Mike Tyson, former UFC double champion Conor McGregor, and Floyd “Money” Mayweather.
Ironically, Mayweather had an exhibition match against older brother Logan Paul.
However, Canelo Alvarez is preparing for a May 7 fight against Dmitry Bivol for his WBA (Super) light heavyweight championship. Additionally, Conor McGregor has stated that he wants his next fight to be at welterweight against current UFC champion Kamaru “The Nigerian Nightmare” Usman.
From Boxing To MMA?
Paul has a deal with Showtime Sports for his Most Valuable Promotions, which departs from his recent overtures to the mixed martial arts business.
While he has trolled UFC fighters like McGregor and Nick and Nate Diaz mercilessly on social media, some fighters are getting tired of his proclamations.
Enter former UFC flyweight GOAT Demetrious “Mighty Mouse” Johnson. The current ONE Fighting Championship fighter challenged Paul to enter MMA and keep that same boxing energy.
The Demetrious Johnson Challenge
“If Jake Paul thinks he’s so f***ing bad at boxing and all that stuff, hats off. You’re 3-0, 4-0 as a boxer,” said Johnson to MMA Junkie. “Do f***ing mixed martial arts. I did an interview the other day, and I was like, ‘Everybody is worried about fighting this person; let’s see how much money I can make from this person.’
“I was like, ‘Just do mixed martial arts.’ You think you’re that great, just do it. If I thought I was a badass boxer, I would be like, ‘Let me just box.’ Even when they offered this fight to me, it’s Rodtang. I was like, ‘I’ll fight in muay Thai.’
Paul has posted pictures of himself as a young wrestler to showcase that he has the foundation for mixed martial arts. However, aside from asking Dana White for a fight in the UFC against McGregor or Jorge Masvidal, Paul hasn’t tried to take any amateur MMA fights or a pro bout in a regional organization.
Ball In Paul’s Court
“I don’t give a f**k. What’s the worst thing that could happen? I get knocked out? OK. I go back home, train, get ready for the next one. If I win, what’s going to happen? I go home, go get ready for the next one. So, for me, I could say I did it; I tried.
“As you get older, you find that you don’t knock people for trying. For me, when someone is like, ‘Ah, blah, blah, blah, you MMA guys suck.’ It’s like, ‘Then come do it.’ If you’re successful, good job. You lose, you tried it.”
Paul is an anomaly in combat sports, and although he is becoming ubiquitous in boxing, only time will tell if he takes the MMA challenge.
