Jake Paul Passes His First Real Test

Youtuber turned boxer Jake Paul passed his first real test as a boxer last night on Showtime. The “Problem Child” took on former UFC fighter and MMA legend Anderson Silva in an 8-round contest in the Gila River Arena in Glendale, Arizona. With the impressive unanimous decision win, Paul has improved his record to 6-0 with 4 knockouts, while the MMA legend, Silva has fallen to 3-2.

Jake Paul Defeats “The Spider”

Jake Paul has been doubted throughout his entire boxing career, and rightfully so. Paul has displayed undeniable skill in the square circle. What has been in question is the strength of his opponents. In 4 of Paul’s first 5 fights, his opponents were making their boxing debut. In addition, none of his opponents were true boxing. He faced Youtuber Ali Eson Gib in his first fight and retired basketball player Nate Robinson in his second. The only real fighters he faced were Ben Askren and Tyron Woodley, whom he faced twice. Despite both of these men being legends in the MMA world, both are primarily known for their wrestling and submission skills, not their striking. So, it stands to reason that critics and fans alike would question the legitimacy of Paul’s 5-0 record.

Then Paul decided to fight Anderson Silva. Silva is a legend in the MMA community, and many consider him to be the greatest MMA fighter of all time. His head movement and striking skills are next to none, and he has proven himself to be a dangerous fighter for many years. With an MMA record of 34-11, Anderson dominated the UFC middleweight division. At one point, Silva had a string of 16 consecutive victories and holds the current record for the longest title reign in UFC history at 2.457 days.

Silva has also proven himself in the boxing ring. He made his debut in the boxing ring in 1998, losing to Osmar Luiz Teixeira. Silva made entered the ring again in 2005 when he knocked out Julio Cesar De Jesus in his home country of Brazil. His more impressive victory came when he stepped between the ropes in 2021 to take on Julio Cesar Chavez Jr, son of the greatest Mexican boxer of all time Julio Cesar Chavez. Silva defeated Chavez by split decision and then went on to KO UFC fighter Tito Ortiz. So, not only is Silva an MMA legend, but he has proven himself in the boxing world. That made him the perfect test for Jake Paul, who has been eagerly looking for a way to silence his critics.

Paul was ready for the “Spider” and knew exactly what he wanted to do and how to do it. The “Problem Child” used his thunderous right hand to perfection, landing 40% of his power punches. But what really pushed Paul forward was his jab. He dominated in that department as he landed 215 jabs as opposed to Silvas’ 32.

However, Anderson Silva did not become a legend by folding every time he got hit with a hard shot. The Brazilian stayed on his feet and fought hard for seven rounds. It wasn’t until the eighth and final round when Paul was able to land a looping right hand on the “Spider”, dropping him with 2:20 left in the fight. That knockdown all but solidified Paul’s victory. Jake Paul was declared the victor by unanimous decision as the judges ruled in his favor. “It’s a surreal moment,” Paul said as he delivered a message to fans. “This just goes to show that anyone watching at home, chase your dreams. It’s never too late. I started boxing two-and-a-half years ago as a pro and just beat one of the greatest ever because I’m obsessed with this.”

Paul Continues His Goodwill

In addition to showing off his boxing prowess, Paul also showed his goodwill. Paul’s foundation Boxing Bullies and Most Valuable Promotions provided over 300 tickets to the event for local first responders. In addition, Paul and his foundation will donate $40,000 to help renovate Central Boxing Gym, a local gym in the Pheonix area, as well as put on a workout with over 70 local children. Paul’s company Betr is also donating $5,000 to the 100 Club of Arizona.

But Paul’s goodwill doesn’t stop at the financial level. For a long time, the Youtuber turned boxer has been an advocate for MMA fighters under the UFC banner, lobbying for better pay and healthcare. During their press conference, Paul and Silva made a very meaningful bet. If Silva won, Paul agreed to face the MMA legend in a kickboxing match. If Paul won, the two agreed to join forces, forming a united fighter’s association to help in Paul’s effort to give MMA fighters what they need. Now that Paul has defeated the bonafide legend, the pair are sure to make some waves together.