Kamaru Usman has announced the price to compete in a boxing match against Jake Paul.
Over the last few months, reigning UFC welterweight champion Usman and YouTube megastar Paul have been engaged in a verbal brawl. Their verbal spat erupted following Usman’s recent KO victory over archrival Jorge Masvidal at UFC 261. (April 2021).
Paul, an internet sensation and aspiring professional boxer, has challenged many top MMA fighters to professional boxing matches.
He (3-0; 3 knockouts) has only faced one MMA fighter in the boxing ring, Ben Askren, whom he beat via first-round TKO in April 2021.
Usman said, “We’ve got this YouTube fighter running his mouth now – saying that he wants to box, he wants to test himself. I think that’s a guy that I can go out, and knock out really quickly, and make it home for dinner.
“So, I think that’s also an interesting one as well. So, I don’t know right now. It’s up to these guys to break through. It’s up to them to show me something and let me know that, ‘I’m the next guy. I’m the dangerous guy. Pay attention to me. You should be worried about me’.
“But right now, none of these guys I’m worried about. I think the YouTube guy right now is actually making more noise than all the other guys.”
When asked what, other than money, makes a fight with Paul appealing, Usman replied, “I don’t necessarily care for the fight. I don’t care for it. I don’t really entertain it, honestly. But when, you see, there’s a lot of work that I put into my sport to get to the position that I’m in.
“And when you see these guys come in and just, ‘Oh, I wanna challenge him. I wanna challenge that guy, that guy’. It’s almost disrespectful. It’s almost disrespectful to the point where, like I said earlier, I’m also the judge. And sometimes, you might wanna go out, and send them a clear message, and give them a harsh punishment.”
Furthermore, when asked how much money it would cost for him to fight a YouTube crossover fighter like Paul, Usman stated, “I think the check would have to have eight zeros in it. If there’s eight zeroes in front of the check, then for sure, we’d consider it. For sure.”
In a nutshell, Usman said that if the right amount of money was offered, he would consider fighting Paul in a boxing match.
Usman criticises Paul for altercation with Cormier
Usman also commented on Paul’s confrontation with MMA legend Daniel Cormier at UFC 261.
Usman stated, “Yeah, that’s actually what made me pay attention – Because I didn’t pay attention before. It was just a regular guy, running his mouth and making a circus.
“But once he made the comments he made about DC. DC is not just one of the most respected guys in the sport, DC is also a good, close friend of mine, close friend. And once I saw that he made those comments, that’s when I took notice. And if I’m in a position to teach these guys a lesson, then absolutely – Because they’re about my weight.
“So, if they ever wanted to fight, I would be the guy that they would have to fight because we’re in the same weight class. His brother (Logan Paul) is fighting Floyd (Mayweather).
“That doesn’t make sense because Floyd is giving up almost 50 pounds to these guys. I’m their weight. I’m that guy for them to pick on. I’m the guy that needs to discipline these guys. And if it makes sense, then, of course, we’ll do it. But like I mentioned, it’s going to take a lot of zeroes to get me to get in there.
He said, “So, if they ever wanted to fight, I would be the guy that they would have to fight because we’re in the same weight class. His brother (Logan Paul) is fighting Floyd (Mayweather).
“That doesn’t make sense because Floyd is giving up almost 50 pounds to these guys. I’m their weight. I’m that guy for them to pick on. I’m the guy that needs to discipline these guys. And if it makes sense, then of course, we’ll do it. But like I mentioned, it’s going to take a lot of zeroes to get me to get in there.”
Prior to Usman’s victory over Masvidal at UFC 261, UFC president Dana White stated that Colby Covington will be the next fighter to compete for the UFC welterweight championship.
Nonetheless, the highly awaited rematch of Usman vs. Covington at UFC 245 (December 2019) has yet to be officially reported.
Read more: Jake Paul bait for a potential fight against Usman finds no catch as White shoots down proposal