GLENDALE, Ariz. -- Jake Paul's inexplicable boxing résumé present includes a triumph implicit 1 of the top MMA fighters of each time.
Paul, the YouTube-star-turned-prizefighter, bushed erstwhile longtime UFC middleweight champion Anderson Silva by unanimous determination (77-74, 78-73, 78-73) Saturday nighttime astatine Desert Diamond Arena. The bout was precise competitive, but Paul pulled distant precocious and sealed the triumph by dropping Silva successful the eighth circular with a close hand.
Paul described beating Silva, idiosyncratic helium was a large instrumentality of arsenic a kid, arsenic "surreal."
"He was my idol increasing up," Paul said. "He inspired maine to beryllium great."
This was the toughest matchup truthful acold for Paul, the 25-year-old societal media maven. Silva is 47 years old, but helium had coagulated boxing performances, including a triumph implicit erstwhile satellite champion Julio Cesar Chavez Jr., aft leaving the UFC successful 2020.
Paul (6-0) present owns victories implicit 3 UFC fighters: Silva, erstwhile welterweight champion Tyron Woodley (two wins, including a knockout) and Ben Askren.
Afterward, Paul called retired different UFC luminary: Nate Diaz, who was successful attendance supporting his teammate Chris Avila, who competed connected the undercard. Diaz and his squad and members of Paul's squad had an altercation backstage with drinks flying successful some directions earlier successful the evening. Diaz became a escaped cause aft his combat past period astatine UFC 279.
"Nate Diaz, halt being a b---- and combat me," Paul said.
Silva started beardown with immoderate vintage "Spider" moments, including dropping his hands and egging Paul connected successful the 2nd round. Silva threw a batch of bully combinations, but Paul took galore connected his gloves.
The mediate rounds were precise choky with Silva getting a little 2nd wind. Paul landed hard shots successful the precocious rounds arsenic Silva was intelligibly tired. And successful the eighth, Paul clipped Silva with a right, dropping him, astatine the extremity of a combination.
"Jake was amended than maine today," said Silva, who is present 3-2 arsenic a pro boxer. "I person thing atrocious to accidental astir my opponent."
Silva really outlanded Paul 66-51 successful powerfulness punches, but Paul threw 215 jabs, 140 much than Silva. Paul landed 32 of those jabs and outlanded Silva 83-79 successful full punches.
Judges Dennis O'Connell and Chris Wilson some scored the bout 78-73 for Paul, and justice Paul Calderon scored it 77-74 for Paul.
"I'm a superhero, but sometimes my half-human fails," Silva said.
Paul and Silva agreed to a stake astatine Thursday's quality conference. If Silva won, Paul would bash a rematch with him successful kickboxing. If Paul won, which helium did, Silva would assistance Paul commencement an relation for MMA fighters to assistance them successful getting paid much and getting amended healthcare. Silva, Paul proposed, would beryllium the interim president of that association.
"Now we're gonna set unneurotic and make a agreed fighters relation to assistance UFC fighters, each MMA fighters and boxers to get much wage and semipermanent healthcare," Paul said. "That's a large undertaking that I've been wanting to bash since the opening of my career."
Paul's determination into boxing doesn't look to beryllium slowing down immoderate clip soon. And present the polarizing pugilist has a triumph implicit a combat sports icon connected his record, to boot, albeit 1 good past his prime.
"If I were walking connected water, radical would accidental that I can't swim," Paul said. "So there's ever gonna beryllium haters, there's ever gonna beryllium critics."
The extremity goal, Paul said, is to go a satellite champion successful boxing 1 day. He besides called retired Canelo Alvarez instantly aft beating Silva.
"This decidedly moves maine successful that direction," Paul said. "[Silva] is insanely tough. Insanely tough. It's conscionable large acquisition nether my belt. And similar I said, it's lone been 2½ years. Who knows what I tin accomplish? I know, but I'll fto you guys find out."
In an undercard bout, erstwhile UFC combatant Uriah Hall bushed erstwhile NFL prima Le'Veon Bell via unanimous determination (40-36, 40-36, 40-36) successful a four-round bout. Both men were making their pro boxing debuts, though Hall is simply a 17-year pro MMA fighter.
"This is the toughest athletics successful the world, and I springiness you truthful overmuch props," Hall said of Bell successful his postfight interview. "I'm arrogant of you, man. ... He decidedly amazed me. He's beauteous good."
Bell, 30, knocked retired chap erstwhile NFL moving backmost Adrian Peterson successful an accumulation bout past month. Bell, and Ohio native, is simply a erstwhile All-Pro and Pro Bowl moving backmost for the Pittsburgh Steelers, among different teams.
Hall, a 38-year-old Jamaican-born combatant who lives and trains successful Dallas, is tied for the astir knockouts successful UFC middleweight past with eight. He retired from the UFC successful August.
After his bout, Hall called retired Paul for a fight.
"I'm the dude that's gonna travel retired present and exposure him," Hall said. "If Anderson doesn't bash it, I'm gonna beryllium the 1 to f--- you up."
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