LAS VEGAS – With Anderson Silva’s recent success in boxing, UFC president Dana White doubts Jake Paul would want any part of him.
Silva, the former longtime UFC middleweight champion, is already 2-0 since returning to the boxing ring, picking up a big upset over former WBC middleweight champion Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. and a first-round knockout of former UFC light heavyweight champ Tito Ortiz.
With Paul continuing to target MMA fighters and already beating former champions Ben Askren and Tyron Woodley, White doesn’t believe there’s any way he considers boxing Silva next.
“Anderson Silva might actually be the GOAT of combat sports,” White told MMA Junkie and other reporters in attendance at the UFC Apex following Tuesday’s Dana White’s Contender Series 39 event. “It’ll be interesting to see what he does next.
“I f*cking guarantee you this: You ain’t gonna see Jake Paul calling Anderson Silva out. That I f*cking promise you. (Silva is) his size, and he’s actually good. He’s old, which is what Jake Paul likes to fight old guys. He likes to fight old guys that are too small and that are absolutely, positively washed up.”
In a recent interview on “The MMA Hour,” Paul said he’d be honored to fight Silva, but only if he was tested multiple times to see if he was “actually good to get into the ring.” He expressed concern at the age gap between them and claimed that he wouldn’t want to take out the old guy and have something similar to what happened in the Vitor Belfort vs. Evander Holyfield fight.
Paul also recently turned his attention to Jorge Masvidal, challenging White to let Masvidal box even though he’s currently under a UFC contract.
But a dismissive White had a simple response to Paul’s request.
“Hey, Jake, Anderson’s out (of a UFC contract),” White said. “Anderson Silva’s out, Jake. Jake? Jake?”
