Jake Paul vs. Anderson Silva boxing match set for October

The rumored face-off between the UFC legend and the Problem Child was hinted by multiple sources and confirmed earlier today.

Confirming reports made earlier last week, rising boxer and content creator Jake Paul will face off against former UFC champion Anderson “The Spider” Silva in a boxing match on Saturday, October 29 in Phoenix, AZ according to Paul’s Most Valuable Promotion company. A Showtime pay-per-view event, the bout will span eight, three-minute rounds with both men competing at 187 lbs.

“Anderson’s team asked if we could set the weight at 187, 2 pounds more than what I wanted.” Paul said in a statement to ESPN. “That level of professionalism and precision is appreciated, and of course I agreed to his request.” Paul also affirmed his desire to stay at 185 for the foreseeable future, citing it as Silva’s weight during his prime in MMA.

Paul was quick to post two videos discussing the match following the announcement. Taking time to ridicule UFC President Dana White’s disbelief in the announced matchup, Paul went on to cite his previously scheduled bout with Tommy Fury as preparation for eventually facing Silva.

“This fight was supposed to be after Tommy Fury because I’ve never fought a southpaw,” Paul said. “And this is a much tougher fight.” He further praised Silva’s efforts post-MMA, referencing his victories against Tito Ortiz and former WBC middleweight champion in Julio Cesar Chavez Jr.

Only five fights into his own boxing career, Silva, 47, opened as the betting underdog against Paul despite his legendary MMA career and recent boxing success.

“I know that in life everything has its purpose. Nothing comes just by chance. So, I thank God for my health, my family and my team for providing me with this opportunity to continue doing the thing that I love the most. I believe this will be the biggest combat event of the year and will truly make history in the sport forever. See you on October 29,” Silva’s statement read.

Following his KO victory against former UFC champion Tyron Woodley last year and UFC allum Ben Askren before that, Silva will be the third former MMA fighter to face Paul in the ring.

“If he’s [Paul] really fighting Anderson Silva, if that’s true? It’s about time,” Said UFC president Dana White at a press conference last week. “He’s got a real fight on his hands. Regardless of how old Anderson is, that’s a real fight.”

No other fights have been announced for the card as of publishing.