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      UFC legend Anderson Silva insists he was ‘just joking’ about being knocked out TWICE in sparring for Jake Paul fight

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      ANDERSON SILVA said he was “just joking” about being knocked out TWICE in sparring ahead of his fight with Jake Paul. The UFC legend faces Paul over eight rounds in Arizona this weekend.
      Anderson Silva was ‘just joking’ about being knocked out twice in sparringCredit: Caitlin O’Hara/SHOWTIME
      But he caused concern after claiming in an interview that he was knocked out two times in training.
      Silva, speaking at the open workout, has since clarified that it was just kidology and lost in translation.
      He said: “Listen guys, let me tell you something very important.
      “When I talk about the guys doing the hard sparring and the knockout, it was just joking.
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      “Because I’m training with the young kids and the guys asked me, and I don’t put nothing bad in my mind, and the guys say, ‘Oh, Anderson take knockout in training.’
      “Of course not. I just like to help and put my partners up, that’s the question.”
      Silva, 47, made the controversial comments during an interview with MMA Weekly.
      He said: “I’m training hard for win — I’m training with the good boxers, high-level, and five guys come to help me.

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      “And the last sparring with [my sparring partner], he is knocked me out two times, and when I finish my training, I talked to my coach and even said, ‘Coach, let me tell you something, why the guys knock me out two times?’
      “And the coach said, ‘You need to prepare for war, and you prepare for war.’”
      Silva’s trainer Luiz Carlos Dorea denied the comments and Silva later released a statement addressing the situation.
      He wrote: “After seeing the reports and concern for me, I’d like to clarify two important things. One, I was NEVER knocked out in sparring.
      “I misspoke in that interview as I sometimes do when interviewing in English and exaggerated the normal back-and-forth action that occurs in sparring.
      “Second, this sparring session I referenced was in early September.
      “The interview with MMA Weekly was done on Sept. 13 and, for some reason, just released this week. So, it wasn’t recent.”
      The Arizona commission are still set to investigate Silva’s claim ahead of the bout with Paul, 25.
      Jake Paul during his open workoutCredit: Caitlin O’Hara/SHOWTIME More

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      ‘A bit too fresh for him’ – Eddie Hearn makes Jake Paul vs Anderson Silva prediction as YouTuber faces UFC legend

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      EDDIE HEARN reckons Jake Paul will be too fast and “too fresh” in his showdown with MMA legend Anderson Silva.The YouTuber turned boxer will throw down with the former UFC middleweight champion early on Sunday morning in Pheonix, Arizona.
      Jake Paul will throw down with Anderson Silva early on Sunday morningCredit: AP
      Former UFC middleweight champ Silva will be the toughest test of Paul’s careerCredit: Getty
      Boxing promoter Eddie Hearn has tipped Paul to get the better of SilvaCredit: SPORTSFILE
      Future UFC Hall-of-Famer Silva, 47, will be the most decorated striker Paul has faced in his burgeoning career – although Matchroom Boxing chief Hearn believes Father Time will be on side of the YouTuber this weekend.
      He told Betfred: “Anderson Silva is 48 years old now, but he’s an MMA legend.
      “He’s a decent striker as well, and obviously has that victory over a very faded Julio Cesar Chavez Jr.
      “I just expect Jake to be a bit too fresh for him.”
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      Paul, 25, goes into his clash with Silva on the back of a brutal sixth-round knockout victory over former UFC welterweight champion Tyron Woodley.
      Hearn has been impressed by what he’s seen of Paul since his debut, saying: “Watching Jake, he’s definitely improving as a fighter.
      “You can see that.
      “He’s in good shape and he’s a strong young man, but he’s probably not going to get as much credit as he deserves if he wins because the argument that he hasn’t beaten a boxer will remain.
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      “Silva is definitely his toughest challenge so far and if he wins he should get the appropriate credit.”
      Improvements aside, Hearn believes The Problem Child will eventually get found out.

      He said: “I don’t think he’s terrible but he’s certainly not going to be competing at world level.
      “Again, we shouldn’t really knock him because many fighters are trying to compete at world level but also won’t make that grade as well.
      “And that’s no disgrace because it’s a very difficult thing to do.
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      “He is improving and he’s given his time to the sport. Good luck to him.”
      Victory over Silva will see former Disney star Paul move to a perfect 6-0 and will be the biggest of his career. More

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      Jake Paul vs Conor McGregor could be ‘a lot more competitive than Notorious against Floyd Mayweather, Eddie Hearn claims

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      BOXING promoter Eddie Hearn threw his support behind Jake Paul fighting Conor McGregor.The YouTuber-turned-boxer has repeatedly declared his interest in pitting his wits against the UFC star, where he claims he will knock the Irishman out.
      Jake Paul is 5-0 inside the boxing ring ahead of his bout against Anderson SilvaCredit: Getty Images – Getty
      Conor McGregor has had one boxing fight – a KO loss to the legend Floyd MayweatherCredit: Getty – Contributor
      It would be a real battle of the novices with Paul 5-0 inside the squared circle, while the Notorious has had one fight in boxing – a KO defeat against Floyd Mayweather in August 2017.
      Paul is currently preparing to face Anderson Silva on October 29 after a bout to face Tommy Fury was scrapped for a second time.
      But Hearn wants to see Paul take on McGregor in the ring.
      Speaking to Sirius XM Boxing in late 2020, the Matchroom boss said: “I think it’s reasonably competitive, especially with the weight difference.
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      “Jake Paul vs Conor McGregor is a lot more competitive than Conor vs Floyd Mayweather.”
      McGregor and Paul have been embroiled in a war-of-words in social media, with the Dublin native labelling the American as a “flop” and a “nobody”.
      His comments came after Paul talked up a clash against McGregor in an interview with the MMA Hour.
      Paul said his rival must get active again with the 34-year-old still recovering from a broken leg he suffered against Dustin Poirier last year.
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      He told Ariel Helwani: “I think for me, fighting a couple more times, continuing to knock some people out, and he has to get active again, who knows when that’s gonna happen?
      “I think those two things need to happen, and then at some point, it’s gotta happen.
      He added: “You know, why not? He’s a businessman, I’m a businessman, and that’s $75 to $100 million [£63m-£84.3m]for both of us.”
      McGregor was quick to reply to the interview as he took to social media to criticise Paul.
      Commenting on the unbeaten 5-0 ace, he tweeted: “You’ve [had] 2 fights and done 70k buys.”
      Eddie Hearn thinks McGregor vs Paul would be ‘competitive’Credit: PA:Press Association More

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      Conor McGregor offered boxing world title shot by fellow Irish fighter Dennis Hogan as talks begin with UFC star

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      UFC superstar Conor McGregor has allegedly been offered a shock crack at a boxing world title.The Notorious entered the boxing world in August 2017 for a multi-million-pound showdown with Floyd Mayweather Jr but has repeatedly flirted with the prospect of returning to the squared circle.
      Conor McGregor entered the boxing world in 2017 for a clash with Floyd MayweatherCredit: GETTY
      The UFC’s poster boy has flirted with a return to the squared circleCredit: GETTY
      And he’s allegedly been offered a crack at Dennis Hogan’s IBO middleweight titleCredit: EPA
      And the Irishman has been offered a shot at countryman Dennis Hogan’s IBO light-middleweight title – which Spike O’Sullivan is also in the running for.
      Hogan’s manager Steve Scanlan told Irish-Boxing.com: “We have been in touch with both Spike and Conor’s team.
      “Spike’s team will move heaven and earth to make this fight, so that is a much easier fight to make happen but we are just working through everything.
      “If we don’t fight Conor, which obviously is a long shot, but crazier things have happened, then we will 100 per cent be fighting Spike in Ireland.”
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      A fight with McGregor would be incredibly hard to make as the Dubliner is still under contract with the UFC.
      The former two-division world champion has two fights left on his current deal with the MMA giants.
      McGregor, 34, is currently recovering from the horrific broken leg he suffered in his trilogy fight with Dustin Poirier.
      The UFC’s poster boy was expected to return to action before year’s end but isn’t back to fighting fitness.
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      But he plans to make up for lost time after finishing up his part in the upcoming Road House remake.
      He recently tweeted: “There is no one in Hollywood with the skills or the capability to do what I am doing in this movie ‘the roadhouse’ Box office records.
      “Awards. Mr tasty shots on the big screen.
      “I’m feeling crazy confident. Calm. Disattached from emotion.
      “Aware of what I must do and making it happen. Visualizing. I see it all. Clear.
      “This movie wraps, I’m back. I’ll have multiple fights completed by the time this movie even releases.”
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      McGregor won’t be back until April at the earliest as he’s currently out of the United States Anti-Doping Agency’s testing pool.
      Fighters who have left the pool must be enrolled in the year-round testing programme for six months before competing unless they’re given an exemption – although they’d have to return two negative tests before doing so. More

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      Anderson Silva says ‘I am fit and ready’ as he clarifies talk he was KO’d in sparring and plots knockout of Jake Paul

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      ANDERSON SILVA has shut down suggestions he was knocked-out twice in sparring ahead of his fight with Jake Paul. The pair are set to go head-to-head in Phoenix, Arizona this weekend as the 47-year-old looks to continue his impressive start to life in boxing after a long time in UFC.
      The Spider’s surprise revelation has added even more intrigue ahead of his clash with PaulCredit: Getty
      Paul is finally getting back in the ring after plans for multiple fights fell apartCredit: Instagram / @jakepaul
      With Paul looking to claim one of the biggest scalps of his career, Silva has a challenge on his hands to make it five wins in six fights.
      But fans were left worried by his preparation after the UFC legend said he was knocked out twice in sparring ahead of the bout.
      But he has since clarified his comments.
      Silva was quotes as saying: “I’m training hard for win — I’m training with the good boxers, high-level, and five guys come to help me.
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      “And the last sparring with [my sparring partner], he is knocked me out two times, and when I finish my training, I talked to my coach and even said, ‘coach, let me tell you something, why the guys knock me out two times?’
      “And the coach said, ‘You need to prepare for war, and you prepare for war.’”
      But Silva’s longtime coach Luiz Carlos Dorea told MMA Fighting that Silva’s story was incorrect, and he was not knocked out.
      He said: “What I can say is that didn’t happen,” he said. “Thank God we follow all the steps in training and Anderson did excellent sparring [sessions]. He’s 100 percent for the fight.”
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      Silva has also clarified his comment.
      He said: “After seeing the reports and concern for me, I’d like to clarify two important things. One, I was NEVER knocked out in sparring. I misspoke in that interview as I sometimes do when interviewing in English and exaggerated the normal back-and-forth action that occurs in sparring. 
      “Second, this sparring session I referenced was in early September. The interview with MMA Weekly was done on September 13 and, for some reason, just released this week. So, it wasn’t recent.  
      “More importantly, my training camp has been great. I am fit and ready to fight and the only knockout people should be worried about is the one I’m about to deliver to Jake Paul on Saturday night.” 
      Despite the denial, The Arizona Department of Gaming, which oversees the state’s boxing commission, said they would be “looking into the matter.”
      Silva is looking to hand The Problem Child his first loss.
      Paul was supposed to be fighting Tommy Fury in August but plans fell through after an issue with the Brit’s US visa.
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      A bout with Hasim Rahman Jr was also set up, but that also fell through due to a problem making weight on the heavyweight fighter’s side.
      The Youtuber-turned-boxer has not fought since December when he knocked out ex-UFC champion Tyron Woodley. More

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      Jake Paul vs Anderson Silva predictions: Legends of boxing and UFC reveal picks for fight between YouTube and MMA star

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      JAKE PAUL and Anderson Silva’s catchweight bout is the latest crossover clash dividing opinions in the fight world. In a battle of young and old and youth against experience, Paul, 25, steps up for the biggest test of his boxing career against Silva, 47.
      Anderson Silva fights Jake Paul in ArizonaCredit: Showtime
      Jake Paul faces Anderson Silva in his biggest fight to dateCredit: AP
      The pair meet over eight-rounds at 187lb in Arizona at the weekend.
      It is the night Paul promises to legitimise himself in the sweet science but just another day in the office for UFC great Silva.
      And ahead of the fascinating fight for the ages, SunSport runs down what the experts predict.
      Oscar De La Hoya
      The six-weight boxing champion is a big fan of Paul and the YouTuber’s impact on the sport, so his prediction comes as no surprise.
      De La Hoya, 49, told Inside Fighting: “That’s a good fight. I’m gonna go with Jake Paul.
      “Yeah, I’m gonna go with Jake Paul, just because he seems like he’s getting into the rhythm of things. He doesn’t have too many fights.
      “He loves boxing, is a hard worker, and has a lot of power. If he connects with Silva, he’s going to knock him out. If he touches Silva, he’s going down.”
      Prediction… Paul
      Oscar De La Hoya backed Jake Paul to beat Anderson SilvaCredit: Getty
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      Daniel Cormier
      The former two-weight UFC champion was once called out by Paul and is now backing his fellow MMA icon.
      Cormier, 43, told ESPN: “I think Anderson Silva wins the fight. 
      “If Jake Paul wins – honestly, he’s a kid that’s in his prime, and I say that knowing that now Jake Paul can fight. The guy can fight.
      “I’m done being of the people that say this kid’s a joke. This kid is not a joke. The kid can fight, and there are many reasons as to why he can fight.
      “But we talk about Anderson, all that he has done – Anderson beating Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. is bigger and better than anything (Paul’s) ever done.”
      Prediction… Silva
      Jake Paul and Daniel Cormier once feudedCredit: Reuters
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      Tyron Woodley
      The ex-UFC champ was twice beaten by Paul, on points and by KO, so knows all about the social media sensation’s power.
      Woodley, 40, told MMA Fighting: “I know a lot of people want to see Jake Paul get beat up and see him taught a lesson like a bully on a playground.
      “But he really is a kid, not very much responsibility, no financial limitations, energy, he makes everything a bucket list, a challenge.
      “That’s why he likes to bet so much. If he loses, it’s not that big of a deal but he secretly wants to win real bad. Cause he’s been a fan of the combat sports world for so long.
      “I’ve got so many videos of the baby face Jake Paul wanting to take pictures with me and Logan and being fans of me back in the day, he’s just tricking everyone.
      “He’s training his ass off. He’s got KO power and he’s learned to throw that particular punch that he’s got timing on.”
      Prediction… sitting on the fence
      Tyron Woodley has twice been beaten by Jake PaulCredit: Getty
      KSI
      The British YouTuber and crossover boxing star has long rivalled Paul, following his 2019 win over his brother Logan.
      And the pair are lined up for a 2023 grudge match at Wembley Stadium next year.
      But for now, they continue to take aim at each other, which was no different when KSI, 29, offered a blunt prediction for Paul’s next fight.
      He told Boxing Social: “Honestly, I think he might have bitten off more than he can chew.”
      Prediction… Silva
      KSI and Jake Paul want to fight in 2023Credit: GETTY
      Tom Aspinall
      The UFC heavyweight has not been afraid to hail Paul in the past and praised him for some wise matchmaking.
      Aspinall, 29, told Midnite: “I think he’s got Anderson Silva at a good time. Silva has obviously got a lot of miles on the clock. But he also has a lot of skills so it’s an interesting fight.
      “Silva has got to be pushing 50 now but the skills are still there, the body is still there.
      “I think Jake Paul takes it, I think Paul should be able to outwork him being the younger and fresher man but you never know.
      “Silva’s getting a bit older and Paul’s young and hungry – and Jake Paul’s looked good. I don’t care what anybody says, it looks like he has got skills. So I think he wins that one.”
      Prediction… Paul
      Tom Aspinall is backing Jake Paul to beat Anderson SilvaCredit: The Mega Agency

      Chuck Liddell
      The Iceman’s peak in the UFC cage came to an end just as Silva came to prominence and the American expects him to teach Paul a lesson.
      Liddell, 52, said to Fight Hub: “I think he wins, I think he knocks him out.
      “But hey, man, I’m interested to see it. Good luck to Jake. The kid is fighting.
      “He goes out there and really fights. You have to respect that.”
      Prediction… Silva
      UFC legend Chuck LiddellCredit: Getty – Contributor
      Eddie Hearn
      The promoter has had a love-hate relationship with Paul but still backed him to beat an ageing Silva.
      Hearn told The MMA Hour: “I don’t know enough about Anderson Silva. Anderson is [47], but he can box a bit by the sound of things.
      “While boxing is still a very impressive part of his repertoire, he’s still not a boxer, and he’s 47 years of age.
      “But he’s a tough guy, he has a huge profile, he can box, and I think he’ll be competitive.
      “I don’t think he beats Jake, because I think Jake is young, and I think he can punch a bit – and I’m intrigued to watch, and I like what Jake’s doing.”
      Prediction… Paul
      Jake Paul and Eddie Hearn have promoted togetherCredit: SPORTSFILE
      Chael Sonnen
      The former UFC title challenger had a fierce rivalry with Silva, losing twice and now has an allegiance with Paul.
      Sonnen, 45, told Fight Hub TV: “I do have strong feelings for this fight, I don’t think Jake Paul is going to knock him out.
      “If there was a magic wand, you knew this fight was going to happen and that Jake wasn’t going to knock him out, it would change your opinion.
      “Jake counts on that, he’s a powerful guy and he connects on people.
      “I don’t think it’s going to happen with Anderson and if he does connect, I don’t think he’s going to put ‘The Spider’ down.”
      Prediction… Paul
      Jake Paul, Chael Sonnen and Anderson SilvaCredit: Esther Lin/SHOWTIME More

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      Jake Paul vs Anderson Silva net worth combined: Career paydays, TV deals compared ahead of main event

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      TWO worlds collide when internet sensation-turned-boxer Jake Paul faces UFC legend Anderson Silva.The pair of prizefighting stars meet in an eight-round 187lb catchweight clash over the weekend in Arizona.
      Jake Paul and Anderson Silva fight in Arizona this weekendCredit: AP
      Paul has already told SunSport he expects to pocket a career-high payday for the pay-per-view bout, only increasing his already staggering net worth.
      According to Forbes, last year the American took home earnings of £36MILLION, with £30m of that from the ring.
      Paul takes a percentage in the PPV sales of his fights, which average around £10m each.
      His other sources of income included endorsements and social media revenue.
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      Paul has been sponsored by the likes of boohooMan and DraftKings before and recently launched a micro-betting app called Betr.
      Amazingly, he claimed he banked MORE than Forbes’ estimate.
      He said: “A lot of times Forbes inflates the number made. In 2018 when I made the list, I made $17 million and they reported $22 million I believe.
      “On this day, they are actually behind, and the numbers are actually low.

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      “Most celebs would say, ‘Thank the Lord I’m so blessed,’ but I say any regular motherf***er could do this if you’re a sicko and ready to die for your cause.”
      According to Celebrity Net Worth, Paul is valued at £52m ($60m) compared to Silva’s £16m ($18m).
      The Brazilian was one of the UFC’s highest-paid PPV stars during his iconic career, before departing in 2020.
      His biggest guaranteed purse was $800,000 the night he faced Nick Diaz, although he would have earned more through box office bonuses.
      Paul claimed he would be giving Silva’s his highest ever payday, something the old icon denied.
      The adidas athlete said: “No, it’s not true.
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      “I don’t like to talk about money because I’m not here for money. Thanks to God I have money to take care of my family.
      “I’m not a rich guy but I try to live a good life and don’t spend money on things that aren’t important.”
      Jake Paul and Anderson Silva ahead of their fightCredit: GETTY More

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      Jake Paul messaged UFC star Conor McGregor on Instagram urging him to ‘take the fight p***y’ after $50m offer

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      JAKE PAUL continued his relentless pursuit of a boxing match with Conor McGregor by direct messaging the UFC superstar on Instagram.The YouTuber revealed his eagerness to take on McGregor a few days after scoring a sensational second-round KO victory over Nate Robinson on the undercard of Mike Tyson’s exhibition bout with Roy Jones Jr last year.
      Jake Paul slid into Conor McGregor’s direct messages on Instagram
      Jake Paul launched a foul-mouthed tirade at Conor McGregor earlier this week
      And in summer 2021, the 25-year-old doubled down on his desire to box McGregor in a foul-mouthed tirade on Instagram, in which he claimed his team have sent the UFC’s poster boy a whopping £37million ($50million) offer.
      McGregor refrained from responding to the x-rated call-out, in which Paul made derogatory comments about the Irishman’s fiancee, Dee Devlin.
      And in another attempt to get the former two-division UFC champion’s attention Paul – whose older brother Logan stepped in the ring with Floyd Mayweather – sent a short and sweet direct message to The Notorious on Instagram.
      Paul’s message read: “Take the fight p***y.”
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      After sharing his DM to McGregor, Paul launched a blistering rant at UFC president Dana White, who revealed he was willing to let women’s bantamweight and featherweight queen Amanda Nunes fight the former Disney star.
      He said: “Alright, Dana, let me try to understand your logic here: So you’re saying you don’t want me to fight Conor McGregor because he’s one of the greatest fighters in the world and I’m just like a YouTuber of whatever.
      “But then, in a statement today, you say: ‘Oh, I’m thinking about just having Amanda Nunes knock him out.’ But she’s also one of the greatest.
      “Dana, you seem to have this thing where you sort of hate on videogamers or YouTubers and influencers and us boxing and all this stuff.
      “But then, you spend half your time hanging out with the Nelk Boys. And I know why. It’s because they have hella influence over the male audience and you know that’s gonna promote the UFC.
      “And right now, baby, there’s nobody in this f***ing world who is promoting the UFC as much as me.
      Tens of millions of views, number one search result on Google when you type in Conor McGregor, when you type in UFC, when you type in Dana White. So you’re not making sense here.
      “Dana, I know the world doesn’t really know this because the UFC is this huge company. But we all know it’s not doing that well.
      Jake Paul knocked out Nate Robinson on the undercard of Mike Tyson’s exhibition bout with Roy Jones JrCredit: AP:Associated Press
      “Anyone who is involved in WME and all the public stocks and everything that went south there, we know the company is not doing well. And I’m the biggest money fight you can do unless Khabib comes out of retirement.
      “So if you want the UFC to make the most amount of money, you better start to wake the f**k up and realise that Jake Paul vs Conor McGregor is going to happen at some point.”
      Paul’s rant at White came shortly after he ambushed McGregor’s team-mate Dillon Danis and pelted him with water balloons.
      Paul may very well be a combat sports novice, but he’s well and truly at the centre of the boxing and MMA worlds at this moment in time.
      Jake Paul offers Conor McGregor $50m contract for boxing fight and blasts UFC legend and Dana White are ‘f***ing scared’ More