By Matt Lieberman: YouTuber Jake Paul is targeting UFC fighter Conor McGregor for a boxing match and he sent him a $50 million offer on Monday.
That’s a lot of money for the 32-year-old McGregor to be turning down, as he’s not likely to make anywhere near that kind of dough when he makes his return to the UFC in 2021.
The 23-year-old Paul is 2-0 with two vicious knockouts since turning professional, and he’s proven to be a devasting punching puncher with both hands. Thus far, McGregor hasn’t shown any interest in wanting to face Jake, 24, and it’s understandable why.
Conor would be at a big disadvantage
McGregor would be over his head in taking on Jake, and there’s a good chance he would suffer the same fate as Paul’s two previous victims Nate Robinson and AnEsonGib, both of which were knocked out quickly by him.
Jake’s brother Logan Paul, who also is a famous YouTube celebrity, will be taking on Floyd Mayweather Jr in February in a pay-per-view event.
Mayweather has taken heat over the fact that he’s chosen the less talented Paul brother, as Jake is the one with the talent for boxing. In Logan’s pro debut against KSI in November of last year, he looked poor in losing a six-round split decision.
“Happy Monday, my team sent you a $50 million offer this morning,” Jake Paul said in a message to Conor McGregor. “$50 million dollars cash, proof of funds, the biggest fight offer you’ve ever been offered, but you’re scared to fight me, Conor.
“You’re ducking me because you don’t want to lose to a f**** YouTuber. You’re 0-1 as a boxer, I’m 2-0 as a boxer. I just came off the eighth biggest pay-per-view event in history, but you want to fight Dustin Prober, who has less followers on Instagram than my f**** dog. That’s a fact.
“And Dana White, you’re a p**** too, you ugly f**** bald b****. You said there’s zero chance of this fight happening. Conor you’re scared, Dana you’re scared. Sign the f**** contract, you idiots,” said Paul.
Jake is a lot bigger than McGregor
In fairness to McGregor, there’s a big size difference between him and the cruiserweight Jake. In McGregor’s pro debut against Floyd Mayweather Jr three years ago on August 26th, 2017, he fought him at junior middleweight [154 lbs] and was stopped in the 10th round.
The performance by McGregor showed that he lacks punching power, and he was exhausted after three rounds. That fight took place while McGregor was still in his 20s, and he’s three years older now and has done nothing in boxing since.
McGregor has shown interest in facing Manny Pacquiao, one of the top boxers in the sport, but nothing has come of that.
What McGregor has going for him is Mayweather has hinted of wanting to face him in a rematch, and there’s arguably more money for him to make facing him than what he would get fighting Jake Paul.
It’s very likely that’s what McGregor is holding out for, as he can make a massive amount of money in a second fight against Mayweather as long as he doesn’t get beaten before then.
Jake vs. KSI = more doable fight
Promoter Eddie Hearn of Matchroom Boxing said on Monday that he’s interested in a fight between KSI and Jake Paul. That’s one that he would obviously like to be involved in if possible.
It would be a revenge thing for Jake, who would like to even the score from KSI defeating his brother Logan Paul last year. Logan is a popular YouTuber as well, but he lacks the talent for boxing like Jake possesses.
Like McGregor, KSI hasn’t shown any interest in wanting to get in the ring with Jake to mix it up, and it’s easy to see why. Jake’s last two quick knockouts of Nate Robinson and AnEsonGib may have dissuaded him from entering the ring for a celebrity boxing match.
Jake’s recent second-round knockout of Robinson on the Mike Tyson vs. Roy Jones Jr exhibition undercard last month on November 28th may have put him off on the idea of facing him.