Aljamain Sterling doubts Anderson Silva would be able to stand up to Jake Paul’s punching power.
‘The Problem Child’ is currently on the hunt for his next opponent after sensationally knocking out Tyron Woodley to improve his professional boxing record to 5-0.
Anderson Silva has often been linked to a fight with Paul and seems like the logical next step for the YouTuber who is yet to face anyone with a background in striking.
‘The Spider’ may be past his prime but has managed to roll back the years since leaving the UFC in 2020.
Silva has picked up two wins in the boxing ring. The Brazilian first fought Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. and scored a monumental upset to beat the former WBC super-middleweight champion over eight rounds. Last time out, Silva made quick work of Tito Ortiz on the undercard of Paul’s first fight with Woodley which took place in September.
Aljamain Sterling Worries About Anderson Silva Fighting Jake Paul
During a recent video uploaded to his YouTube channel, Sterling expressed concern about a potential fight between the former UFC middleweight king and the ex-Disney actor.
“I know Anderson Silva was supposedly a frontrunner to fight Jake,” Sterling said. “If Jake were to connect, I think he would really hurt Anderson. I think Paul is going to tie him up, lean on him. He’s a young guy, he’s going to grab him. Against Woodley, he clinched 30 times over the first five rounds. With this one, Silva’s got hands. But the only thing is, can he take a shot?”
Paul seems to be angling for a fight with Chavez Jr. next as he looks to “silence the critics” by fighting an actual boxer for the first time ever.
Sterling is currently preparing for his rematch with Petr Yan which is set to take place at UFC 272 on March 5. The 32-year-old is yet to defend the belt he picked up via disqualification at UFC 259.
Do you agree with Aljamain Sterling? Is Jake Paul a bad match-up for Anderson Silva?