Jake Paul has his sights set on a clash with Conor McGregor, and he believes he would beat the UFC star regardless of what discipline they fight in.
During an interview this week with TalkSport (h/t Damon Martin of MMAFighting.com), Paul mentioned McGregor as a desired opponent after his upcoming boxing match against another former UFC star in Nate Diaz on Aug. 5:
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.
Paul went on to say that he would be open to a boxing match or MMA fight against McGregor, and he expressed confidence that he can beat the Irishman either way:
“We can fight in the PFL smart cage, whatever it is. 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.”
The 26-year-old Paul, who was best known for being a YouTuber and social media influencer before breaking into boxing, has experienced a great deal of success during his brief time in the ring.
Paul began his boxing career 6-0 with victories over former UFC stars such as Ben Askren, Tyron Woodley and Anderson Silva. Paul suffered his first loss in February when he fell to Tommy Fury by split decision.
Fury, who is the younger brother of world heavyweight boxing champion Tyson Fury, was the first legitimate boxer Paul faced.
McGregor has just one professional boxing match to his credit, as he lost to Floyd Mayweather Jr. by 10th-round technical knockout in a massive crossover fight in 2017.
The 34-year-old would undoubtedly have a massive advantage over Paul in a fight with MMA rules, though, as he boasts a career record of 22-6 and is a former UFC featherweight and lightweight champion.
McGregor has lost three of his past four fights, though, including a loss to Dustin Poirier at UFC 264 two years ago, during which he suffered a broken leg.
While McGregor has not fought since then, it has been widely expected that he will step back inside the Octagon against Michael Chandler in the coming months.
McGregor is no stranger to crossing over within the world of combat sports, and if there is a significant payday to be had, a fight with Paul could prove to be an intriguing option
