Combat sports fans got a front-row show Thursday as UFC superstar Ilia Topuria and social-media boxing sensation Jake Paul went head-to-head in a fiery on-air confrontation.
The undefeated two-division champ joined Adin Ross’s popular Kick stream, where Ross asked him point-blank if Paul is any good at boxing.
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Topuria laughed and delivered a blunt response.
“He’s a very bad boxer,” Topuria replied.
Things quickly escalated when Ross put Paul on a live call, giving the two a chance to go at it directly.
“Hey, I respect you, bro. I think you’re awesome,” Paul said.
“I just think if you think I’m a bad boxer, then we should spar.”
Topuria, widely recognised as one of the best boxers in the UFC, didn’t hesitate.
“Yeah, whenever you want,” Topuria replied.
“I’m open to it.”
But he couldn’t resist a jab about Paul’s recent injury.
“Your jaw is okay already?” he enquired, referencing his brutal KO loss to Anthony Joshua.
Paul boasted that plenty of UFC stars have backed out of sparring sessions against him – including British superstar Paddy Pimblett.
“I offered to send him my jet and a million dollars and he wouldn’t do it,” said Paul.
Topuria wasn’t buying it.
“As a YouTuber and streamer, you’re the best boxer,” he said.
“But compared to real boxers? You’d never be on that list.
“As a boxer, you suck.”
Paul fired back: “When I beat your ass in sparring, what you gonna say?”
Topuria cut in.
“When you get your jaw healed, let’s do it,” he said
“Just get ready, because you’ll need another recovery period.”
Paul said he wouldn’t need his jaw healed because MMA fighters are “trash” at boxing.
“I beat all of the best in your sport — that’s actually a fact,” said Paul.
“You’re a little guy.
“You’re 5’6!
“You can’t even ride rollercoasters.”
Topuria agreed that he was significantly shorter than Paul, but would still win.
“I’m going to give you a combo that put you to the height of my b***s,” Topuria said.
“You’re gonna be on your f***ing knees.”
Topuria then indicated that in an MMA fight he would really dominate Paul.
Paul said he wouldn’t back down from that either.
“Oh, we can do that too,” he fired back.
The wild confrontation comes just a day after boxing legend Terence Crawford claimed that Paul’s 2024 showdown with Mike Tyson was “scripted”.
Like many other fight fans, Crawford thought something was off about the whole affair.
“I think it was scripted,” he told Joe Rogan.
“I ain’t never seen Tyson biting his gloves and – it was taking all that he could not to hit him.
“It was just like, it’s heartbreaking to see an icon go out like that.”
Despite a broken jaw suffered in his fight against Joshua, Paul has still found success in boxing – even if his opponents haven’t always been the toughest.
Taking on crossover MMA stars like Tyron Woodley, Nate Diaz, and Anderson Silva has delivered massive paydays and kept him in the spotlight.
Topuria, meanwhile, is eyeing a return to the Octagon this year after settling some personal matters.
“In summer, hopefully,” Topuria said about when he expects to fight.
“… I don’t know [if I’m fighting at the White House].
“It’s like, you don’t say to the UFC how to make fights and where they have to put you, and they don’t tell you how to fight.”
‘El Matador’ is reportedly being lined up for a title unification clash with Justin Gaethje as the potential main event of the White House card.
While the UFC hasn’t officially confirmed any fights, Dana White has revealed that the matchmaking for the historic event is already done.
“As of right now, I have no f***ing idea what’s going on,” Topuria said.
“… I know that I’m going to fight in the summer, but I don’t have any specific date or place – but I know I’m going to fight. I’m ready.”
Topuria also suggested that the UFC should create another belt that he could fight for against Islam Makhachev.
“The perfect scenario for me would be fighting him in the welterweight division, because that way, I’m going to be able to collect my third belt,” Topuria said.
“But also it would be a great scenario for me to fight between 155 and 170, and create a new belt.
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“Why not call it pound-for-pound, because he’s the No. 1, I’m the No. 2 right now.
“For me, and myself, I’m the No. 1. You put two of the best guys in the world, you put the pound-for-pound belt in the middle.
“Whoever wins is the best.”
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