Dana White and Jake Paul have thrown plenty of verbal jabs each other’s way over the years since the latter got involved in combat sports.
Names have started to come out of the woodwork to take on “The Problem Child” after the recently announced postponement of Paul’s hugely advertised and built matchup against boxing icon Mike Tyson. Originally set for July 20 in the massive AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, where the NFL’s Dallas Cowboys play, Paul’s dream match hit a snag when the 57-year-old Tyson had an ulcer flare-up last Friday. The health scare resulted in the spectacle’s delay.
UFC CEO White has never been interested in Paul’s celebrity or influencer-esque boxing career. The YouTuber-turned-pro pugilist started in 2020 after a 2018 amateur debut and has yet to look back. Seeing Paul face a handful of past UFC fighters and champions throughout his 10-match run (9-1), White has vehemently been opposed to the Tyson matchup, in particular.
“God no [I didn’t help pull that match off],” White said on FLAGRANT of Paul vs. Tyson. “When this fight happens, Tyson will be 58 fcking years old. A fcking almost 60-year-old man shouldn’t be fighting a 27-year-old guy. Under any circumstances. Even if it’s Mike Tyson. It’s just f*cking ridiculous.
“My biggest problem with the Jake Paul thing and how this plays out is, when he actually fought somebody who was a boxer, who had the same type of record he has, who was his age, who is his size, he fcking lost. So, they’re never gonna go that fcking route again, right?”
Paul’s first and only loss came opposite Tommy Fury via a split decision in February 2023. The Cleveland native returned to boxing matches vs. MMA fighters directly after, rebounding with a unanimous decision win over longtime UFC veteran Nate Diaz the following August. Paul is currently on a three-match winning streak after back-to-back first-round knockouts against Andre August and Ryan Bourland.
The most recent matchups are what White expects and believes Paul should stick to going forward. Especially if people keep tuning in.
“If you can keep getting paid, right? One hundred percent [do it],” White said. “If you got people that are fcking dumb enough to pay for that sht then fcking, you know, good for you. Brilliant move [going to Netflix], too, because you don’t have to go pay. Everybody has fcking Netflix. Just turn it on. Ah, f*ck it. I’ll turn it on and see what happens.
“I’m not against it. I love Mike Tyson. He’s fcking almost 60 years old, you know what I mean? My fcking back is killing me today. Killing me. I have no idea why. I guess it’s because I’m fifty-fcking-four. This guy (Paul) is 27, he’s in his prime as a human, and it’s fcking ridiculous. I love Mike and nobody wants to see Mike get beat by this f*cking jerk-off.”
If Tyson still ends up in the ring with Paul, it will be his first pro boxing match since June 2005. However, he did return to action for an exhibition against fellow legend Roy Jones Jr. in November 2020. The match resulted in a split draw.
There could be a matchup between Jake Paul and Darren Till, a former UFC fighter, soon. This occurs subsequent to the rescheduling of the YouTuber and Mike Tyson’s fight. Tyson, who is over 57 years old, had to postpone their fight on May 27 due to an ulcer flare-up that occurred on a flight. In an Instagram picture, Till hinted at the matchup with the caption “Paul vs. Till.” Notably, the renowned influencer boxer Jake Paul was scheduled to go on the great Mike Tyson on July 20.
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Till can actually land something
No one wants to see fat slob trailer trash slap fighting either Dana.
You’ve got negative zero right to say shit about shit.
Is he talking about Jake Paul or Slap Fighting?
Darren Till gonna throw the fight.