"He's already knocked out world champions" - Chael Sonnen believes the boxing community is "scared to death" of Jake Paul's success

Chael Sonnen claims that the boxing community is petrified by Jake Paul's success in the ring. 'The American Gangster' claimed that the community disregards Paul's contribution to the sport because he did not start training at a young age.

Jake Paul, a popular content creator on YouTube alongside his older brother Logan, is a pioneer for a new wave of celebrity boxing and exhibition fights. Their efforts to revitalize boxing have been backed by boxing legend Mike Tyson, who has claimed that the sport needs people like Jake Paul.

Former UFC middleweight fighter Chael Sonnen spoke to MiddleEasy about the latest developments in the combat sports world. Sonnen claimed in the interview that boxing experts are concerned that fans will draw facile comparisons between the sweet science of boxing and Paul's success:

"Boxing truly is very worried that some guy can step in later in life without full focus and do well. And you know what? I am that people, to a degree."

Sonnen added that Paul's success raises questions about the extent to which someone needs to dedicate their life to get into the sport:

"I'm just sharing with you the psychology. We have seen this before. The boxing community is scared to death that a 25-year-old is gonna step in and be able to beat people. And he's already beat [MMA] world champions. He's knocked out world champions."

Watch Chael Sonnen's interview with MiddleEasy below:

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Chael Sonnen points out why people should not count out Anderson Silva in his fight against Jake Paul

Anderson Silva's next boxing assignment will be against YouTuber-turned-pugilist Jake Paul. The event will be held at the Gila River Arena in Glendale, Arizona on October 29.

Silva successfully transitioned to boxing after he retired from an illustrious career in the UFC, which included 10 defenses of his middleweight throne. 'The Spider' was last seen inside the boxing ring against Bruno Machado in May 2022. Although no winner was declared since it was an exhibition bout, Silva clearly outboxed Machado and even scored a knockdown in the fifth round.

Much is being made about the 22-year age gap between Silva and Paul. Chael Sonnen, who's fought Silva twice in the octagon, claimed that people should not be skeptical due to Silva's age:

"Anderson Silva can hold up. He's extremely durable. Anderson Silva should've lost to Chavez Jr. Not only because the judges should've given it to Chavez Jr. because that's what judges do in boxing. Anderson Silva holds up. People always miss his grit. They miss what a competitior he is."

Anderson Silva beat Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. via split decision at Jalisco Stadium in Guadalajara, Mexico, in June 2021.