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Conor McGregor, KSI among future fights Jake Paul is eyeing

By Michael Gallagher | Last updated 7/6/23

YouTuber-turned-pro boxer Jake Paul is still one month way from his next match, but he already knows whom he wants to fight after that.

Paul, who’s scheduled to face former UFC title contender Nate Diaz in a 10-round boxing match on Aug. 5 in Dallas, stated in a recent interview with TalkSport that he’s willing to try his hand at mixed martial arts to accommodate the person he’s eyeing as his next opponent.

“When I knock out Nate Diaz, I think that Conor McGregor’s going to see me, want a payday and come and get knocked out,” Paul said. “…I told everybody I would fight Conor in any form of fight. Because, in my opinion, he is that shot. I’ll do MMA. I’m not afraid. I’ve wanted to do that my whole career. [I have] a wrestling background. All I’d have to learn is some jiu-jitsu and some kicks, which seems pretty easy to me.”

It's not the first time Paul has called out McGregor either. He did so back in 2021, stating a boxing match between himself and the polarizing face of the UFC would be one of the biggest fight cards in boxing history.

"Jake Paul vs Conor McGregor would be one of the biggest PPV in the history of boxing. But I don't wanna fight losers, the guy keeps on losing, his act is being exposed."

— @jakepaul pic.twitter.com/OcOnRpFhD4
— UNDISPUTED (@undisputed) July 14, 2021

McGregor has a 22-6 record as a pro MMA fighter, including a 10-4 record in the UFC. He’s a former two-division champion and holds wins over former champions Jose Aldo, Eddie Alvarez and Max Holloway.

He also has one pro boxing fight on his resume — a 10th-round TKO loss to WBA, WBO and WBC welterweight champion Floyd Mayweather Jr. The fight was the second-highest selling boxing pay per view ever.

The 34-year-old Irishman hasn’t fought since breaking his leg in a TKO loss to Dustin Poirier at UFC 264 in July 2021. McGregor is slated to fight UFC contender and fellow “The Ultimate Fighter” coach Michael Chandler either later this year or early next year. However, McGregor has yet to rejoin the USADA drug testing pool.

Paul has no mixed martial arts experience, but he does have a 6-1 record as a professional boxer with wins over former UFC standouts Anderson Silva, Tyron Woodley (twice) and Ben Askren.

If McGregor has no interest in a grudge match with Paul, the 26-year-old social media star says there are other potential fights that he’s interested in pursuing.

“We have offers out to Tommy [Fury],” Paul added. “We’ve been trying to do the KSI negotiations for years, so there’s just a lot down the horizon.”

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