UFC Hall of Famer Michael Bisping responded to social media star Jake Paul's recent callout of him, where he challenged the former UFC middleweight champion āto a boxingš match.
Bisping addressed Paul's challenge via a video posted to his official YouTube account and explained why he doesn't view the 25-year-old as much of a threat, also revšealing how previous negotiations with Paul's team fell apart. The YouTube star is 5-0 since becoming a pro boxer in January 2020 and is coming off of a sixth-round KO victory over former UFC welterweight champion, Tyron Woodley, in their rematch last December. Bisping meanwhile hasn't competed since November 2017 when he was knāocked out by Kelvin Gastelum in the first round at UFC Fight Night 122.
āSo, do I want to fight Jake Paul?ā Bisping said (h/t ). āListen, hereās the thing, I had a great career. Iām very happy with what I accomplished. Iām happily retired. Iām very, very happily retired. But I do miss the thrill of competition ā and I donāt see Jake Paul as necessarily a threat. I retired from fighting because I only had one eye and I didnāt want to risk my other eye. In boxing, bigger gloves, against Jake Paul, I donāt really see him as a threat. So Jake Paul, beating you up sounds like fun. Of course, you are a big star, and God bless you, well done to you. Iām not hating. Well done to you, youāve done great things, all jokes aside, because I am kind of joking. Youāve done great, youāre earning a lot of money, youāre a big star, youāre getting a lot of pay-per-views and stuff like that. So for that reason, I probably would. I probably would, but weāve been here before. He sent an email to [Bispingās manager] Audie Attar, Paradigm Sports management, or his manager did, asking if I would fight him, offering $500,000. I said double it, add pay-per-view, and weāll see where we go. Never even got a response. So heās doing the same thing again here. This fight is never gonna happen, but Iāll tell you what, Jake, if you want to throw down, if you want to step in the squared circle with me, Iāll oblige. Iāll do it. It sounds like fun. It gives me a reason to train, to get in shape ā give me a few months [to] lose a couple of pounds, and letās go, baby! No problem. The only thing is, I wonāt get sanctioned. I doubt one of the athletic commissions would let me right now because I used to lie about my eye, but now the secretās out. The catās out of the bag. But thereās lots of places where they will not care, lots of places where they donāt give a s***. What about Dubai? Dubai seems to be hosting a lot of fights. Letās go to Dubai. What about an Indian Reservation? No problem there. Lots of countries in Europe, Africa, China ā the world is our oyster. Thereās not athletic commissions everywhere. Iām pretty sure we could find a place that would allow us to throw down.ā
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