- Jake Paul knocked down MMA great Anderson Silva in the final round of their pay-per-view fight.
- It was a fun fight for the eight rounds it lasted as Paul didn’t have everything in his way.
- Keep scrolling for highlights from the entire fight as Paul carried on his boxing unbeaten streak.
Jacques-Paul struck Anderson Silva in the last round of a delicious and captivating eight round boxing fight Saturday at Desert Diamond Arena in Arizona, which aired on Showtime pay-per-view.
See the walkouts here:
—SHOWTIME Boxing (@ShowtimeBoxing) October 30, 2022
—SHOWTIME Boxing (@ShowtimeBoxing) October 30, 2022
Silva, a former cfu middleweight champion who is hailed as one of the greatest mma fighters of all time, gave Paul hell in a few rounds.
The 47-year-old clowned Paul in round two with his trademark showboating. He kept his guard low, danced with fluidity and rhythm, and made his 25-year-old opponent miss with an instinctive escape.
Watch Silva’s success here:
—SHOWTIME Boxing (@ShowtimeBoxing) October 30, 2022
—SHOWTIME Boxing (@ShowtimeBoxing) October 30, 2022
Paul, unfazed by Silva’s swagger, entered the third round with aggression and nailed the Brazilian with a right hand.
As more rounds came to an end, it became clear that Silva had the superior timing, showmanship and ring craft, but Paul had power and youth on his side.
—SHOWTIME Boxing (@ShowtimeBoxing) October 30, 2022
—SHOWTIME Boxing (@ShowtimeBoxing) October 30, 2022
The longer the fight went on, the more likely it was that Paul would emerge triumphant as a fighter with more than two decades of advantage in the ring.
Sure enough, he comfortably won the final two rounds with bodywork in the seventh and a combination of balance and punches.
Paul had the reversal
Jake Paul knocked down Anderson Silva.
Photo by Getty Images
Then, in the eighth, thinking maybe he might need to win the final round to claim victory, Silva came to the center of the ring with all guns blazing.
They traded slugs with Silva’s throwing hands with reckless abandon until Paul timed a well-placed right hand straight into his opponent’s face – bang.
The power and precision of the shot was enough to put Silva on the ground, where he stayed until at least the five count as he used the break to regain his composure.
Watch the reversal here:
—SHOWTIME Boxing (@ShowtimeBoxing) October 30, 2022
—SHOWTIME Boxing (@ShowtimeBoxing) October 30, 2022
Silva rallied later in the set as he looked to tip the momentum in his favor, but it wasn’t enough.
Paul had done it – he had won the biggest victory of his boxing career, against his toughest opponent to date.
“It’s a surreal moment,” said Paul, who took his unlikely and undefeated pro career to 6-0 (4 KOs).
“Hard work pays off,” the fighter added. “First and foremost, I want to say thank you to Anderson. He was my idol growing up. He inspired me to be awesome. He was the first celebrity I ever met.
“Without him, we wouldn’t have had a fight this year. He’s a badass. A legend. I have nothing but respect for him.
“It just shows that anyone watching at home is chasing their dreams. It’s never too late. I started boxing 2 and a half years ago as a pro and just beat one of the greatest of all time because I’m obsessed with this.”
Paul issued challenges to MMA icon Nate Diaz and boxing star Canelo
Jake Paul beat former UFC champion Anderson Silva.
Photo by Getty Images
Regarding the knockdown he scored on Silva, Paul said: “We were just fighting in the clinch, and he got caught on the exit.
He continued: “He took so many hard knocks throughout the fight. The dude is a real dog. You see what happens to everyone else who gets hit with this. He’s the toughest guy in the world but I just wanted it more.”
“I’m a real dog and I left everything in the ring,” he added.
—SHOWTIME Boxing (@ShowtimeBoxing) October 30, 2022
Paul then turned his attention to what he wants, or rather who, he wants next – calling out MMA icon Nate Diaz, who recently left the UFC and is now a free agent.
—Nathan Diaz (@NateDiaz209) October 30, 2022
He also targeted Saul ‘Canelo’ Alvarez, who is the world super middleweight champion and one of the best fighters in all of sport.
“They’ll find something to say. ‘Fight a real boxer.’ I tried. If I walked on water, people would say I can’t swim. There will always be enemies. There will always be critics. It’s a part of everyday life if you do something thing and that you succeed. I don’t worry, this is just the beginning.
“I want Nate Diaz,” he said. “Canelo, you too. You said, ‘You can’t beat a striker, you can’t beat a legend like Anderson Silva. I just did it. So why can’t I beat Canelo?”