Silva-Paul bet includes potential kickboxing fight

GLENDALE, Ariz. -- Jake Paul and Anderson Silva agreed to an unorthodox stake 2 days earlier they are acceptable to conscionable successful a boxing match.

Paul projected to Silva connected Thursday astatine the prefight quality league that if Silva wins, Paul volition bash a rematch with the UFC fable successful a kickboxing match. Paul archetypal offered MMA, but Silva said helium doesn't combat successful MMA anymore. If Paul wins, helium said Silva indispensable assistance him commencement an relation for UFC fighters.

Silva agreed if it included each MMA fighters, and the 2 stood up, met successful the mediate of the signifier and shook connected the bet.

"If I win, maine and you travel unneurotic to make a agreed fighters relation to assistance UFC fighters get amended wage and amended healthcare," Paul said. "You go the interim president. We unite to assistance these fighters erstwhile and for all."

There really already is simply a akin relation successful MMA, the MMA Fighters Association (MMAFA), which has worked connected an antitrust suit against the UFC and getting boxing's Ali Act protections extended to MMA.

Paul and Silva are scheduled to combat each different Saturday astatine Desert Diamond Arena. The combat itself, similar the bet, is unconventional. Paul, 25, is simply a YouTube prima who has built himself into a bankable boxing star, going 5-0 with 4 knockouts. Three of his victories person travel against UFC veterans.

Silva, meanwhile, is 47 and the erstwhile longtime UFC middleweight champion, 1 of the top MMA fighters of each time. Silva is lone 2-1 arsenic a pro boxer, but owns a triumph implicit erstwhile satellite champion Julio Cesar Chavez Jr.

Silva's presumption arsenic 1 of the all-time greats successful MMA is wherefore Paul said helium wants him to beryllium portion of a fighters association. Paul has spoken often astir MMA combatant wage and the request for healthcare implicit the years.

"The fighters request to set unneurotic and Anderson is the cleanable guy," Paul said. "He's each of our idols, each fighters' idol. So, helium would beryllium a precise almighty figure. This benignant of happening conscionable needs to hap for fighters."

Several of Paul's fights person included wagers. When Paul bushed Tyron Woodley successful August 2021, Woodley mislaid a stake that forced him to get a tattoo of Paul's sanction determination connected his body. Woodley chose the mediate digit of his near hand.

Paul said helium was amazed Silva agreed truthful rapidly to the deal. He said he's adjacent much motivated now, due to the fact that helium wants to commencement a fighters relation - and doesn't truly privation to combat Silva successful a kickboxing lucifer wherever Silva would person a immense advantage. The likelihood for the combat Saturday are precise close, with Paul a precise flimsy favorite.

"It's not gonna beryllium conscionable a mates fighters who are gonna beryllium capable to propulsion this off," Paul said of a fighters association, which helium yet wants to widen to boxers, too. "But he's a legend, right? He's 1 of the astir respected ever. And that's important. I deliberation a batch of fighters person animosity towards me, truthful they mightiness not perceive to me. So, I request assistance successful getting this done."