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Jake Paul is still hoping for a showdown with Anderson Silva.
'The Problem Child' was set for a showdown with Tommy Fury next month at Madison Square Garden in New York. However, shortly after the fight's announcement, 'TNT' began running into visa issues.
The Brit was unable to gain entry into the United States for their brawl in New York. As a result, the YouTuber-turned-boxer began looking into other opponents. One of those opponents was Anderson Silva.
The two have been rumored to fight for a while. However, the bout hasn't come to fruition, and it won't be happening next month either. The YouTuber has instead signed on to fight Hasim Rahman Jr. at Madison Square Garden instead.
Despite the bout's announcement, Paul is still interested in a showdown with the former UFC middleweight champion. On The MMA Hour with Ariel Helwani, the 25-year-old discussed a fight with Anderson Silva.
Paul discussed his desire for the fight, stating:
"100% [I seriously considered fighting Anderson Silva]. I think that fight still happens at some point. But, I just didn't want to knockout another old MMA guy, and then people will not want to see it. After I beat a professional boxer on August 6th, I'll be able to fight whoever I want without any criticism."
Watch Jake Paul on The MMA Hour below:
Jake Paul discusses why he is fighting Hasim Rahman Jr.
Jake Paul's decision to fight Hasim Rahman Jr. came as a surprise to most fans.
The main reason for this surprise is that the matchup is extremely different than anything the YouTuber has faced before. 'Gold Blooded' is an accomplished amateur boxer who has nearly triple the number of pro contests of his opponent, sitting at a 12-1 professional record.
Furthermore, he's also a heavyweight, while 'The Problem Child' normally fights at cruiserweight. Despite all of the aforementioned issues facing the younger Paul brother, he still signed on the dotted line for the collision at Madison Square Garden.
On The MMA Hour with Ariel Helwani, he discussed why he took the matchup. Jake Paul stated:
"I need to check off the list of [fighting] a professional boxer. I want a professional boxer—I need a professional boxer. That's the number one criticism: 'fight a professional boxer!' Okay, here we go."
