There’s no doubt that Jake Paul has accomplished things that many doubted he could do. After transitioning from his YouTube career to the boxing ring, ‘The Problem Child’ has proven his skills fight after fight. Confident in his abilities, he made a bold challenge to take on UFC light heavyweight champ Alex Pereira. Now, after all the buzz, ‘Poatan’ has finally responded, effectively shutting down hopes that this fight will come to fruition.
Recently, Pereira appeared on Ariel Helwani’s show, where he was asked about numerous things, including the buzz surrounding Paul’s fight challenge. When asked about it, Pereira said he is interested in boxing but dismissed this idea, pointing out that Paul knows he’s under UFC contract. He points out that this knowledge gives Paul the confidence to throw out such a challenge, suggesting that if he weren’t tied to the UFC, he wouldn’t have the courage to make such claims.
In his words, “I’m going to be honest; of course, boxing interests me. But he knows that I’m under contract to the UFC, and I can’t just leave. I think that’s why he calls [me out] and says all of that. I think if the UFC was a league that allows everybody to fight anywhere, I don’t think he’d be saying that.”
While Paul believes he has found a weakness in Pereira’s game, there’s no doubt that if they were to face off in an actual match, it would be his toughest test. ‘Poatan’ is in his prime and has the power to knock anyone out with just one punch.
Dana White Blasts On Jake Paul For Challenging Alex Pereira
After the call-out, UFC president Dana White was clear about the potential matchup during his appearance on the Full Send Podcast. He expressed no doubt that Pereira would knock Paul out if they fought. White also labeled ‘The Problem Child’ as an attention seeker, suggesting that he’s calling out Pereira just to get more publicity.
In his words, “I wonder if the commission would even let that fu**ing fight happen. [Pereira] would kick [Paul’s] head to another planet…[Jake] calls people out for attention. Alex is this superstar right now, so Jake calls him out, and Jake gets press.”
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It looks like the fight between Pereira and Paul will remain just a dream for now. But since Paul has already snagged a matchup with Tyson, anything could happen in the future.
Also Read: Dana White Vows To Completely Steer Clear Of Involvement In Fighter Rankings
