Ilia Topuria surprisingly doesn’t hate Jake Paul like so many other UFC fighters do.
Love him or hate him, Jake Paul has paved his own unique path in the boxing ring by beating multiple former UFC stars, YouTubers and most recently real boxers.
Granted, Paul’s last opponent the legendary Mike Tyson was 58 years old but the former heavyweight champion and YouTuber-turned-boxer put on the most-streamed sporting event of all time on Netflix last November.
Paul’s lackluster decision win over Tyson drew in a record 108M viewers worldwide.
Now, the 28-year-old is set to box former WBC Champion Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. on June 28th on DAZN pay-per-view.
A PPV headliner in his last two fights against Alexander Volkanovski and Max Holloway, former UFC Featherweight Champion Ilia Topuria likes what he sees from Paul, whose next opponent was nearly Canelo Alvarez.
While other fighters like Michael Bisping pile on Paul for fighting much older foes and his social media antics, Topuria says the American is due credit for stepping into the ring and all the eyes he brings in because of it.
“You have to respect that,” Topuria said of Paul on The Full Send Podcast.
“One way or another, he makes you go to the TV and watch him fight.
“You have to give him his credit, you know?”
Paul started his pro career in 2020 by boxing YouTuber AnEsonGib and NBA star Nate Robinson before gradually increasing his competition against former MMA champions Ben Askren, Tyron Woodley and a 47-year-old Anderson Silva, one of the all-time greats.
A boxer with a 11-1 record, Paul still gets a ton of hate to this day with many fans hoping to see him get knocked out.
“A lot of people say ‘he’s a YouTuber’… Do the same thing,” Topuria said of Paul’s critics.
“Do it. Try to do it…
“The people doesn’t understand how difficult it is to [fight].”
Topuria continued.
“You have so many things going on on Saturday. Concerts, you can go and watch a movie, so many things… why someone has to choose you to stay at home or go to the stadium and watch your fight.
“You have to have that ability, and he has it, and you have to respect that,” Topuria said of Paul’s drawing power.
BoxingIlia TopuriaJake PaulUFC
