Jake Paul’s Team Confirms MMA Discussions with Boxing World Champion
In a significant development in the world of combat sports, Jake Paul’s business partner, Nakisa Bidarian, has confirmed that discussions have taken place regarding a potential crossover fight between Paul and current boxing world champion, Oleksandr Usyk, in the octagon. The news was revealed in an interview with Big Fight Weekend, a leading source for combat sports news.
According to Bidarian, co-founder of Most Valuable Promotions (MVP) with Paul, the idea of a crossover fight between Paul and Usyk originated when Usyk expressed his desire to have one more fight in MMA. Bidarian revealed that Usyk’s side seems very interested in the potential bout, and that the timing of the fight is the only thing holding it back. As Bidarian stated, "We’ve had a couple of conversations, all very positive, and it just depends on how the timing lines up. I think the opportunity is there."
The possibility of a crossover fight between Paul and Usyk has significant implications for the world of combat sports. Paul, a popular YouTuber-turned-boxer, has been making waves in the boxing world with his impressive performances, while Usyk is set to face Daniel Dubois on July 19 in a bid to become undisputed champion. Bidarian believes that a fight between Paul and Usyk would be a groundbreaking moment in combat sports, saying, "Jake is crazy enough to do it for sure, Usyk’s side seem very interested in it. So it’s just about lining up the timing and I think eventually it’s something that will happen."
Bidarian also discussed how the relationship between MVP and Usyk’s team was established, stating that it was through Paul’s previous interactions with Dubois, who fought on Paul’s pay-per-view event in 2021. He added, "Daniel Dubois got his US debut on Jake’s first pay-per-view event in 2021 and then we went to support Usyk vs Dubois in Poland when they fought, and so we started to build a relationship with them. I think it was three or four months ago when Usyk came out and said: ‘I’d like to do one more fight and I’d like to fight Jake Paul in MMA’."
The potential cultural impact of a crossover fight between Paul and Usyk was also discussed by Bidarian, who believes that it would be a significant moment in combat sports. As he stated, "I think so, absolutely. Jake has two priorities, as do I for his career and MVP as a whole: we want to put on great boxing events and he wants to become world champion, but we also want to do mainstream cross-cultural moments in combat sports. Paul vs Tyson did that in many ways. The same thing for Paul vs Usyk in MMA. That’s going to be a cross-cultural moment that the world will pay attention to."
As Big Fight Weekend previously reported, Paul is set to face Julio Cesar Chavez Jr on June 28 at the Honda Center in Anaheim, CA. However, it appears that Paul’s team is already looking ahead to potential future fights, including a rumoured exhibition against Gervonta Davis and a potentially groundbreaking crossover fight with Usyk. Regardless of opinions about Paul, he continues to push the boundaries of combat sports.
In conclusion, the confirmation of discussions between Jake Paul’s team and Oleksandr Usyk’s team regarding a potential crossover fight in MMA has significant implications for the world of combat sports. As Big Fight Weekend continues to provide updates on this developing story, one thing is certain – Jake Paul is a force to be reckoned with in the world of combat sports.
