Jake Paul doesn’t see anyone else bringing the numbers he brings for a fight with Conor McGregor.
Jake Paul is adamant that his professional boxing fight this weekend against Nate Robinson is not a one-off, and he wants a future in the sport.
The 23-year-old YouTube star Paul had his first pro bout in January against fellow social media personality AnEsonGib, winning by first-round TKO. Paul says he is fighting this weekend against retired NBA player Robinson because he has fallen in love with the sport of boxing.
“I’m doing this because I love it,” Paul said during the Tyson vs. Jones media day. “I don’t need to do it. I have my music, my YouTube stuff, my acting, my businesses, but I’m doing this because I love it. Everything about it. The show, the weigh-ins, the talking sh-t.” (Transcription via MMA Fighting)
With a large social media presence to his name, Paul is targeting some big names in MMA for opponents in the future. Talking about a fight with two-weight UFC champion Conor McGregor, Paul said there’s no-one else with the name he has that will attract the same PPV numbers.
“It just makes sense,” Paul said on a fight with McGregor. “At the end of the day, this is a business and they’re saying that this fight is breaking all the pay-per-view pre-sale records. I’m the co-main event and Conor McGregor’s bringing those same pay-per-view numbers. There’s no other fighter with this big of a platform that’s calling out Conor McGregor right now. His biggest competitor Khabib [Nurmagomedov] retired.”
Finally, Paul also wants to get the chance to settle his beef with McGregor’s training partner Dillon Danis.
“He has to get his ass beat. No one likes that guy. People don’t like me but they hate Dillon Danis more. I think everyone wants to see me beat his ass. It makes perfect sense.”
Paul vs. Robinson serves as the co-main event for Mike Tyson vs. Roy Jones Jr.