Paul stunned the combat sports world earlier this year after calling out the Ukrainian, but the latter’s team are not particularly keen on the showdown
Oleksandr Usyk‘s team appear to be utterly against the idea of the Ukrainian taking on Jake Paul.
Since making his professional boxing debut in 2020, Paul has become accustomed to calling out some of the big names in the sport. The ‘Problem Child’ has largely faced former UFC stars since his first proper outing five years ago. The American holds wins over the likes of Anderson Silva, Tyron Woodley and Nate Diaz.
With a professional record of 12-1, Paul’s only defeat inside the squared-circle came two years ago against Tommy Fury. Nevertheless, he continues to make a big splash in the world of boxing, but also has aspirations of conquering another sport – MMA. The 28-year-old penned a lucrative deal with the Professional Fighters League (PFL) two years ago, but is yet to make his debut inside the SmartCage.
Paul has since called for a dust-up with Usyk inside the cage, but Team Usyk’s Sergey Lapin is not interested in the bout whatsoever, writing “what are you smoking?” in an Instagram reply.
Watch Jake vs Joshua live on Netflix for free
Anthony Joshua and Jake Paul will face off for a heavyweight clash in Miami on December 19. The fight will stream live on Netflix, which fans can get for free with Sky’s £15 Essential TV bundle, the brand’s ‘lowest ever price’ for Sky TV.
Back in September, Paul uploaded a video to social media, reeling off things he would like to achieve by the end of 2030. “I just finished writing my Jake Paul 2030 five-year plan, signed and delivered,” he said. “Become world champion, become a billionaire, have three kids and get married to Jutta. Beat (Oleksandr) Usyk, win an Oscar, fight on the moon, and start a presidential campaign.”
His comments quickly went viral online, and Usyk was made aware of the video. In a post uploaded to X – formerly known as Twitter – he hit back at the American’s plans, writing: “Good plan, Jake Paul. But I’m not here for 5th place — only first. Soon, I’ll close the book on boxing, and after that, I’ll be waiting for you in the cage. Let’s see if you’ve got the balls or just a hunger for hype.”
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Paul is set to return to the ring on December 19 as he is scheduled to take on former two-time heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua. The bout will be staged over eight three-minute rounds and the result will count on their respective records. Most notably, Usyk is set to be involved after ‘AJ’ revealed the Ukrainian is helping him prepare for the dust-up.
Discussing the link-up, Lapin told OLBG: “Nothing happens by accident. AJ is someone who’s always looking to grow. That’s why he reached out — he wants new solutions and honest work that can take him to the next level.” He added: “AJ came over, he and Usyk worked together, but there was no sparring — Jake Paul isn’t a southpaw, so it didn’t make sense. He shared his experience during the preparation process.”
When is the next boxing fight?
Ben Whittaker is set to return to the ring on Saturday night when he takes on Benjamin Gavazi. The clash between the pair is due to take place at the National Exhibition Centre in Birmingham. The main card is set to begin at around 7pm GMT (11am PT / 1pm CT / 2pm ET).
In the main event, Gavazi will make the walk to the ring first at around 9.30pm GMT (1.30pm PT / 3.30pm CT / 4.30pm ET), with Whittaker set to follow immediately after. The timings of all fights are subject to change and will depend on how long the undercard takes to complete. The entire spectacle will be broadcast live on DAZN.
