Former UFC middleweight champion Anderson Silva shared some insight on his motivation for boxing Jake Paul.
Former UFC middleweight champion Anderson Silva is all set to try and go three for three in his recent boxing career this Saturday. Having already defeated both Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. and Tito Ortiz in his last couple of bouts, the ‘Spider’ will take on a much younger opponent on October 29th in Glendale, AZ—YouTube sensation Jake Paul.
In an interview with Combate during a press conference for the fight, Silva explained the reason why he accepted the offer to take on Paul. Although he welcomes the money, the Brazilian says the biggest reason why he took the bout was because he is still passionate about fighting and competing.
“People think the money is important, but it’s not. I don’t need it anymore. Sure, I’ll make some money with the fight, because it’s my job. Don’t do something just for the money, though. Work because you’re passionate about it. That’s what I did and that’s why I’ve been successful my whole life.”
Now 47-years-old, Silva will be facing an opponent 22-years his junior in the 25-year-old Paul. While he believes his experience alone will be enough to defeat his youthful adversary, the MMA legend made sure to emphasize that he’s not taking Paul lightly in any way.
“Many people say Jake Paul is not good, that he’s not a good striker. To me, a fight is a fight. I’ve been training hard to win this one. I’m not looking at this like it’s an easy fight for me. Every fight is dangerous when you step into the ring,”
“The most important thing I have is my experience,” Silva said. “Experience is something Jake doesn’t have. I love the challenge. That’s the secret for me. I’m coming into this fight to prove my respect for the community. I won’t lose. Nothing will affect my legacy. I’ve worked hard for many years in order to do something like this for my fans. It’s another fight, another challenge for me, but it won’t affect my legacy or my career.”
In his last outing, back in September of 2021, Silva knocked out fellow former MMA great Ortiz in the first round. Before that, the Brazilian defeated Chavez Jr. by split decision in June of the same year. Meanwhile, Paul scored knockout wins over former UFC champion Tyron Woodley and ex-ONE champ Ben Askren, respectively in December and April 2021—with another split decision victory over ‘T-Wood’ in August.
Silva vs. Paul is set to take place at the Desert Diamond Arena on Showtime PPV. The professional boxing match is scheduled to be an eight-round contest at a 187-pound catchweight. The event will also host the boxing debut of former UFC middleweight Uriah Hall taking on former Pittsburgh Steelers running back Le’Veon Bell.