Jake Paul continues to prove his doubters wrong. The 25-year-old actor-turned-influencer-turned-rapper-turned-boxer calls himself the problem child and with his sixth professional boxing victory, Paul has indeed become a serious problem in the ring. Paul’s latest victory wasn’t against just any old washed-up retired fighter. Paul took on UFC legend Anderson Silva and went the distance, defeating Silva by unanimous decision after an impressive performance.
Right from the start Paul was the more active fighter and attempted to outwork his opponent, who is 22 years his senior. Paul dropped Silva to the canvas in the final round, scoring the only knockdown of the close fight and securing his unanimous victory. Silva had a commendable performance, landing some solid hits. But he couldn’t land a shot big enough to override being knocked down in the final round.
Paul was thrilled with the result, which is undoubtedly the most impressive victory of his career, “I started boxing two and a half years ago as a pro and just beat one of the greatest ever because I’m obsessed with this. I go so hard every single day. Nothing can get in my way,” he said.
Paul’s success in the ring has been played down by his critics. The YouTuber got his start in boxing against other media personalities and retired fighters. But after defeating Silva, considered to be one of the best UFC fighters of all time, no one can minimise Paul’s euphoric ascension from an amateur to genuine threat on the professional circuit. Paul remains undefeated and improves his professional record to 6-0.
Paul has had to battle his haters online as well his opponents in the ring, “There’s always going to be haters, there’s always going to be critics. It’s just part of everyday life when you’re being successful. I don’t worry about that shit,” Paul said. He sent a message to his detractors after the victory, “They’re going to find something to say. ‘Fight a real boxer’. Bitch I tried. If I were walking on water people would say I can’t swim.
Silva may be 47 years old, but with is reputation and fitness level, he remains a formidable opponent. The Brazilian fighter holds the record for the longest UFC title reign and has stayed in pristine shape since leaving the UFC in 2020. Silva has stayed in the spotlight despite his age, winning two boxing bouts since his UFC departure. Silva was by no means an easy matchup for Paul.
Paul had nothing but praise for Silva, the man he calls his idol, following the fight. “He took so many hard shots through the whole fight. Dude’s a real dog. He’s the toughest guy in the world I swear to God. I just wanted it more. I’m a real dog and I left it all in the ring,” Paul said.
The problem child has shown no signs of slowing down. Fresh off the most impressive win of his career, Paul challenged Nate Diaz, another UFC legend, to a fight in a profanity laden rant. “This is just the start. I want Nate Diaz, who’s a bitch. He tried to come into my locker room, he tried to cause some shit and then he always leaves the fucking arena. So Nate Diaz, stop being a bitch and fight me.”
Paul continued his post-fight rant, but he might regret his next ambitious sledge. He called out current Super Middleweight world title holder Canelo Alvarez, one of the worlds best boxers who is still in his prime. “Canelo, you too. You guys said, ‘You can’t beat a striker, you can’t beat a legend like Anderson Silva’. I just did it. So why can’t I beat Canelo. Fuck y’all.”
If there’s one thing Paul’s meteoric rise has taught us, it’s that you don’t need a lifetime of training to be successful. Because if Jake Paul can do it, anyone can. Paul reiterated this sentiment after the fight, “Hard work pays off. This just goes to show anyone watching at home – kids, even if you’re 45 years old, chase your dreams. It’s never too late.”
