Jake Paul’s detractors may get their wish for him to face one of boxing’s best granted…sort of.
Paul has become an increasingly polarizing figure ever since establishing himself as a prominent part of the combat sports space through his efforts in the ring and war of words with Dana White over fighter pay in the UFC.
To date, the Cleveland native’s competitive venture has remained in the ring. But that did look set to change at the start of 2023, when Paul signed an exclusive MMA deal with PFL ahead of an expected debut in the cage later that year.
That did not come to fruition and little has emerged since regarding the likelihood of an MMA fight for ‘The Problem Child’ — until now.
Talks ‘underway’ for Jake Paul vs. Oleksandr Usyk in MMA
Since Paul beat Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. in his latest boxing match, focus has turned to his ambitious callout of Anthony Joshua. The latest update regarding a clash between the YouTuber-turned-pugilist and ex-unified heavyweight boxing champion was a positive one, with the former’s manager saying Paul vs. Joshua “can absolutely happen.”
But a member of a different boxer’s entourage has suggested that Paul is in talks for a much, much different assignment.
Sergey Lapin, a key figure in undisputed heavyweight king Oleksandr Usyk’s team, claimed in an interview with Plejmo that talks are “underway” for a shock MMA fight between the Ukrainian star and Paul.
“The team is currently working on the next fight,” Lapin said. “We’re looking at a few options, focusing on those who make sense both sport-wise and in terms of audience interest and status.
“Almost every fighter has called out Jake Paul. But our story is different. For us, it’s about MMA, something non-standard, and that’s where its power lies.
“We’re not talking about a boxing match with Oleksandr Usyk,” Lapin continued. “No disrespect to Jake, but in MMA, the chances are more even. Jake has some experience, while Oleksandr would have to adapt quickly.
“This could become a massive show with a huge global audience. Talks are already underway, and if everything lines up, the fight could happen early next year.”
Jake Paul’s manager corroborated claims of MMA talks with team Usyk
After Paul and Usyk faced off at Wembley in July, discourse about a possible MMA bout increased
The American’s manager, Nakisa Bidarian, had previously revealed team Usyk’s push for the bout to happen, stating during a press conference for Paul vs. Chavez Jr. that they were hoping to negotiate a 2026 fight in the cage.
“Usyk has called out Jake multiple times in MMA,” said Bidarian. “They’ve been in touch with us behind the scenes, saying they want to do that fight in 2026.
“It’s something that we definitely want to pursue.”
The back-and-forth marks the first talk of MMA for ‘The Problem Child’ since his brief feud with Nate Diaz.
After the ex-Disney star beat the Stockton native in the ring, Paul offered Diaz a rematch in MMA. The former UFC star turned down the apparent $10 million proposal due to his refusal to compete in the PFL.
