Jake Paul confirms he still intends to transition into mixed martial arts in the near future.
`The Problem Child` signed a multi-fight deal to compete in MMA under the PFL banner back in January 2023.
More than two years later, Jake Paul appears to be fully focused on his professional boxing career, which currently stands at 11-1.
He is set to fight former WBC middleweight champion Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. on June 28. Despite this, the 28-year-old YouTuber turned fighter promises he will soon begin training for his highly anticipated MMA debut.
Jake Paul vs Oleksandr Usyk in MMA?
At a recent launch press conference, Jake Paul and Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. came face-to-face.
Former UFC champion Holly Holm was also present, having recently signed a deal with Most Valuable Promotions.
When asked about his ongoing MMA plans, Paul stated, “Yeah, I want to be like Holly here and test my skills in the cage. That’s something I’m super, super interested in, and I think it would be a very, very big spectacle. Nate Diaz is still ducking, but we would need to find the right opponent. [Oleksandr] Usyk, maybe.”
Paul’s business partner, Nakisa Bidarian, interjected to explain why an MMA fight against boxing’s top heavyweight is a real possibility.
Bidarian revealed, “Usyk has called out Jake multiple times in MMA. They’ve been in touch with us behind the scenes saying they wanna do that fight in 2026. So it’s something that we definitely want to pursue.”
Paul added that he hasn’t started any specific MMA training yet but confirmed, “We are looking at 2026 for that as a possibility.”
Dan Hardy doubts Jake Paul would fight Oleksandr Usyk
In a recent interview, PFL commentator Dan Hardy shared his thoughts on the potential of Oleksandr Usyk competing in MMA against Jake Paul.
Hardy confirmed Usyk`s genuine interest in fighting in MMA, noting his eccentric nature and suggesting he might even possess wrestling skills or a brown belt in some discipline, acquired perhaps between boxing matches. Hardy believes Usyk is an interesting personality who would adapt well to MMA.
However, Hardy pointed out a significant disadvantage for Jake Paul, stating that unless his wrestling skills are proficient, facing Usyk would be a difficult fight in either boxing or mixed martial arts. He praised Usyk`s intelligence, excellent footwork, and ambidextrous style, labeling him a “problem” in MMA. Hardy concluded by speculating that if Jake Paul does step into the MMA cage, it`s likely to be against an opponent who is well into their 40s.
