November 16, 2024 3:00 pm ET
IRVING, Texas – It’s become old hat for Jake Paul to try and lure UFC star Conor McGregor into a boxing match, so it’s only natural that the YouTuber-turned-professional-prizefighter would use the afterglow of his win over Mike Tyson to do it again.
Paul, 27, predictably had an easy time with 58-year-old Tyson en route to a lopsided unanimous decision in their eight-round heavyweight bout Friday night before 70,000-plus fans at AT&T Stadium. The fight drew massive interest as it served as the headliner to streaming giant Netflix’s first foray into live sports.
With manager Nakisa Bidarian by his side during the post-fight news conference, Paul was asked if he’s interested in setting up a fight with McGregor, and the response was almost daring from both men.
“Yeah, he’ll never do that, though,” Paul said, before Bidarian chimed in: “One, he’s under contract. And two, he won’t do that. He knows better.”
Then Paul continued, “And it’s funny to say, ‘Conor McGregor is scared of Jake Paul and will never box him,’ but it’s the f*cking truth. And look at him go toe to toe with Nate Diaz, who was easy work for me. It was like a Monday sparring session to beat Nate Diaz’s ass. He doesn’t ever want this smoke with me. It won’t ever happen.”
Back in 2016, McGregor was submitted by Diaz at UFC 196 before coming back roughly six months later to narrowly win a majority decision at UFC 202. Last year, Paul beat Diaz in a 10-round boxing match by unanimous decision.
To Bidarian’s point, McGregor being under exclusive contract with the UFC would complicate matters, as McGregor would need the UFC’s blessing to compete in a boxing match with Paul, something UFC CEO Dana White has said he’s not inclined to do.
While there’s no telling what could come next for Paul, a fight with McGregor is unlikely.
For more on the fight, visit MMA Junkie’s hub for Paul vs. Tyson.
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