Jake Paul takes on veteran former UFC champion, Anderson Silva, in the main event of a bill at the Desert Diamond Arena in Glendale, Arizona. It’s set for eight rounds at light heavyweight.
SHOWTIME televise Paul vs Silva live on pay-per-view in the USA, whilst the fight is on FITE TV pay-per-view in the UK.
Paul (5-0, 4 KOs) has never faced an opponent with a winning record, but Silva (3-1, 2 KOs) will be just that.
Paul turned professional in January 2020, halting fellow social media figure AnEsonGib inside a round, and he faced debutants in his next three outings, beating Nate Robnson, a former basketball player, and Ben Askren, a former Bellator champion, inside schedule.
The 25-year-old social media sensation was tested by former UFC welterweight champion Tyron Woodley, who was making his boxing debut, in August last year as he was taken the eight round distance before winning via split decision.
The pair rematched in December last year, with ‘The Problem Child’ knocking out his compatriot in the sixth.
Paul saw bouts with Tommy Fury and Hasim Rahman Jr both fall through earlier this year.
Former UFC middleweight champion Silva is next, but 47, the Brazilian is surely on borrowed time in combat sports.
Silva debuted in boxing in 1998, retiring after a round, and returned in 2005, recording a stoppage win.
He upset a badly faded and disinterested Julio Cesar Chavez Jr last June by taking an eight round split decision, and knocked out another former UFC star in Tito Ortiz last September inside a round.
Earlier this week there was some doubt whether the bout would even be staged, after comments from Silva in an interview raised concerns, with the Brazilian suggesting he had been knocked out in sparring during training camp.
Silva later denied the comments and says he merely ‘misspoke’ with the Arizona Commission confirming that the fight will indeed go ahead as planned, following a meeting.
Prediction: Silva is a faded and much older version of his prime, and that was in the UFC, and this one will be designed to make Paul look as good as possible. He should score a stoppage win around halfway.
Remaining Undercard
Paul’s prodigy, Ashton Sylve (7-0, 7 KOs) also appears here, and the super featherweight can add to his knockout tally with an early win in his scheduled eight rounder against Braulio Rodriguez (20-4, 17 KOs).
Shadasia Green (10-0, 9 KOs) may need to go the eight round distance to see off former world champion, Ogleidis Sanchez (30-4-1, 14 KOs) at super middleweight, and at heavyweight, Jeremiah Milton (6-0, 5 KOs) should remove Quintin Sumpter (5-0, 4 KOs) before the end of their six rounds.
The other six rounder comes at super bantamweight, where Danny Barrios Flores (10-0, 2 KOs) should outscore Edgar Ortiz Jr (8-3-2, 4 KOs).
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In four round action, Adrian Rodriguez (2-0, 2 KOs) can stay unbeaten with a points win against Dominique Griffin (4-2-1, 2 KOs) at super bantamweight, and at light heavyweight, Chris Avila (1-1) can outpoint internet star debutant ‘Doctor Mike’, Mikhail Varshavski.
Eliezer Silva (1-0) can stop Anthony Hannah (3-4, 2 KOs) at super welterweight, and at light heavyweight, NFL running back, LeVeon Bell can win the battle of the debutants against MMA fighter, Uriah Hall.
