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Social media sensation Jake Paul is preparing for a boxing bout on August 13, but if he chooses to battle ex-UFC middleweight champion Anderson Silva, he’ll “pay dearly.” That’s according to “The Spider’s” boxing coach, Luiz Carlos Dorea.
Silva, 47, made his successful transition to professional boxing from mixed martial arts in 2021, defeating former world champion Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. by split decision and then following it up with a brutal KO over former UFC light heavyweight champion Tito Ortiz.
On May 21, The Spider faced off against Bruno Azeredo in Abu Dhabi, UAE, as part of Floyd Mayweather Jr.’s undercard. The bout went the distance and no winner was crowned as it was an exhibition match. But, Silva knocked down the Brazilian and looked solid throughout.
After the match was over, Paul (5-0) took to Twitter and shared a doctored image of himself working in pest control, standing beside a truck with a spider on it. See below:
“The Problem Child” then followed the tweet up with a bold claim: “I would beat Floyd and Anderson in the same night.”
Mayweather boxed Don Moore in an exhibition match on the same night, and no decision was declared as it went the distance.
Dorea Warned Paul About Silva, Said The Problem Child Should Consider an Exhibition Match Instead of a Professional Bout
Dorea recently spoke with MMA Fighting about the possible boxing match between Silva and Paul, as well as Paul’s tweet about defeating the two combat sports legends on the same night.
“You have to laugh, right? Have to laugh,” Dorea said. “Jake Paul is doing his part, which is to promote. It’s obvious there’s no way he can face Mayweather, one of the best boxers of all time, and Anderson, another legend. He never fought a striker.”
Dorea thinks that if The Problem Child does decide to pursue The Spider, he should do so by taking the route of an exhibition match, not a professional bout.
“He has to think of an exhibition,” Dorea continued. “If he’s considering an [official] fight, I think he will pay dearly. In promoting, it’s all valid. He’s doing his part, using his tongue, but you can’t use your tongue inside the ring. You have to use your fists, and it’s a whole other story. Anderson is far better.”
The coach told MMA Fighting that Silva “verbally agreed to return to Dubai for a boxing match on Oct. 15, after the Global Titans event was moved from May 14 to May 21 and shifted to Abu Dhabi following the death of UAE president Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan on May 13.”
Silva ‘Is Evolving a Lot’ as a Boxer, Dorea Said
With three boxing matches under his belt since parting ways with the UFC in 2020, Silva has been “evolving a lot” in the sweet science.
“Anderson has always trained boxing when he was fighting MMA,” Dorea continued. “He was always a striker with good boxing and muay Thai. Now, almost two years later and the three [boxing matches] we’ve done, and training boxing specifically for this, Anderson is evolving a lot. He’s more confident in his movement and defense. He had great boxing for MMA, and is putting on a show now. His level is so high.”
Silva is credited with the longest title reign in UFC history, holding the 185-pound belt for 2,457 days. Among other records, The Spider also boasts the longest win streak in the promotion’s history with 16.
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Coach Says Jake Paul Will ‘Pay Dearly’ if He Boxes UFC Record Breaker