Oleksandr Usyk sent Jake Paul brutal two-word warning that he chose to ignore
Oleksandr Usyk sent Jake Paul brutal two-word warning that he chose to ignore
Oleksandr Usyk passed on some advice to Jake Paul last year, but the social media star ignored the heavyweight champion as he continues to pursue his boxing career
Jake Paul received some brutal advice from Oleksandr Usyk
(Image: Ed Mulholland, Getty Images )
Jake Paul refused to take Oleksandr Usyk's advice to quit the sport before his bout with Mike Tyson last year, and has set them on a potential collision course.
'The Problem Child' faced boxing veteran Tyson in a Netflix-streamed match that garnered worldwide attention. Some sporting circles criticised Paul for agreeing to a fight against 58-year-old Tyson, who was climbing back into the ring for his first professional fight since 2005.
Originally set for July, the fight was postponed to November due to health concerns surrounding Tyson. Before the controversial bout, heavyweight champion Usyk shared his opinion on Paul's venture into boxing during a word association game, responding with a two-word reply: "Stop boxing."
Despite entering the ring with Tyson holding a 10-1 professional record, most of Paul's victories were against ex-UFC fighters and social media personalities. Regardless of criticism directed towards his boxing journey, Paul has persisted in honing his skills and seeking high-profile adversaries. His only defeat came in a split decision loss to Tommy Fury, brother of Tyson Fury, in 2023.
Paul readied himself for Tyson by securing a TKO victory over BKFC fighter Mike Perry, a replacement opponent for his original July date with Tyson. The showdown between Paul and Tyson eventually took place four months later, with the social media sensation clinching a unanimous decision win over Tyson in a match that left many spectators underwhelmed.
Netflix reported that the fight was viewed live by 108 million people worldwide. Despite the considerable age difference between the two fighters, Paul celebrated his triumph over the boxing icon. Tyson, on the other hand, has no immediate plans to step back into the ring.
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Jake Paul earned a decision victory over Mike Tyson last year
(Image:for Netflix © 2024 )
Paul's next opponent is another former world champion. The 28-year-old is set to square off against Julio Cesar Chavez Jr, who held the WBC middleweight title in 2011, on June 28 in Anaheim, California.
A victory over the son of boxing legend Julio Cesar Chavez could pave the way for Paul to ascend the cruiserweight rankings, given his desire to secure a world title. However, a crossover fight with Usyk has also been suggested.
The unified heavyweight champion previously shared an image of a potential MMA bout between himself and Paul on his social media. Paul, who is contracted to the PFL but has yet to make his MMA debut, responded to the post with a poll asking if the crossover fight should go ahead.
Oleksandr Usyk spoke about Jake Paul's boxing career last year
(Image:)
Usyk has revealed that he's approaching the end of his time in the boxing ring, with talk from his camp of potentially exploring new challenges. "Usyk has always cared only about fighting the best and creating a lasting legacy in the great sport of boxing," Sergey Lapin said to OLBG.
"But in the future, as he further solidifies his place as one of the true great fighters, we'll see what other opportunities open up for him. It might be great to step into the cage with Jake Paul under MMA rules, it would be interesting if there is money to be made from it. Also, we never say never about fighting the dangerous Alex Pereira, possibly partnered with Dana White."
Currently, Usyk's focus is locked on his upcoming undisputed heavyweight championship bout against Daniel Dubois. Scheduled for July 19 at Wembley Stadium, this marks a rematch following their first fight in 2023.
Jake Paul vs Mike Tyson was watched by millions of boxing fans worldwide
(Image:)
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In the meantime, Paul is setting his sights on Chavez Jr, but could face a range of opponents later this year, including a rematch with Fury and has even called out Anthony Joshua. "I want to fight everybody, and I'm going to get to all opponents," Paul explained, as reported by talkSPORT.
"There's a line, but the majority of the time I want to pick the biggest and toughest challenges that people don't think I'm going to win, so I can prove them wrong and shock the world time and time again. There are a lot of people knocking on the door, and I just want to continue to grow my skillset.
"My path to becoming world champion, that is still the goal. I want to become one of the best boxers in the world, do big fights and make the fans happy."
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