What did former UFC champion Anderson Silva say about his fight against Jake Paul?

The MMA and boxing worlds collide again inside a boxing ring. Former UFC superstar Anderson Silva and social media celebrity-turned-boxer Jake Paul will battle it out in Arizona to see who the better fighter is.

Follow Jake Paul vs Anderson Silva live

Silva will try to go three for three in his recent boxing career after having defeated Julio César Chávez Jr. and Tito Ortiz, while ‘The Problem Child’ will be aiming to record his sixth win out of as many bouts.

Many have questioned why 47-year-old Silva accepted a fight with an opponent who is 22 years younger and is seemingly improving in every contest, and some have said that the money involved could have been a great incentive.

Anderson Silva vs. Jake Paul: What did ‘The Spider’ say?

In recent interviews, the former UFC middleweight champion has shown his confidence coming into the fight against the YouTuber and believes that his long-time fighting background will earn him victory on Saturday night.

But why did he accept a fight against such a young rival that he is expected to beat due to his incredible record in combat sports? Silva says money is not the reason.

“People think money is important, but it’s not. I don’t need it anymore. Sure, I’ll make some money with the fight, because it’s my job”, he said. “Don’t do something just for the money, though. Work because you’re passionate about it. That’s what I did and that’s why I’ve been successful my whole life”, he added.

An opponent who shouldn’t be taken lightly

In his last outing back in September of 2021, Silva knocked out fellow former MMA fighter Ortiz in the first round. Before that, the Brazilian had defeated Chavez Jr. by split decision in June of the same year.

However, he showed respect for what Paul is accomplishing in boxing, and despite the criticism against the young fighter due to the lack of big names on his boxing resumé, Silva is aware he will be a dangerous rival:

“Many people say Jake Paul is not good, that he’s not a good striker. To me, a fight is a fight. I’ve been training hard to win this one. I’m not looking at this like it’s an easy fight for me. Every fight is dangerous when you step into the ring”.

READ ALSO:

Silva, considered by many as the greatest MMA fighter ever, believes his skills and longtime dedication will make the difference in this matchup: “The most important thing I have is my experience. Experience is something Jake doesn’t have”.

Despite being 47, the Sao Paulo-born fighter admitted he still loves competition and believes he still has what it takes to be able to pull off these kinds of fights.

“I’ve worked hard for many years in order to do something like this for my fans. It’s another fight, another challenge for me, but it won’t affect my legacy or my career”, he stated.

The professional boxing match is scheduled to be an eight-round contest at a 187-pound catchweight.