Alex Pereira Turns Down The Jake Paul Fight
Alex Pereira has dismissed a boxing fight against Jake Paul, saying that he is on a completely different level when it comes to The Problem Child.
Pereira has hinted at a switch to boxing which grabbed Paul’s attention. Paul knocked out Mike Perry, after which he FaceTimed the UFC Light Heavyweight Champion to demand the fight. Dana White responded emphatically by saying the fight would not go ahead, as the Brazilian is still contracted to the UFC.
But that has not stopped Pereira from chasing a boxing fight, given the UFC’s prior history. They put on Floyd Mayweather vs. Conor McGregor in 2017. It became one of the most-watched PPVs of all time, selling over 4 million. Although McGregor was stopped in the 10th round, the Irishman walked away with $100 million.
It also paved the way for other crossover fights, which have taken off since then. Reports indicate that the UFC is close to announcing a new Saudi Boxing League. That would increase the narrative for new fighters, or UFC fighters, to crossover. Pereira has also recently said that he would be keen on facing Oleksandr Usyk.
The Ukrainian responded by saying that he would be open to that fight, as fans could see a clash between champions from their respective sports. Pereira has dominated in kickboxing and the UFC, giving him every incentive to try and tackle the boxing ring.
Pereira Reacts
Francis Ngannou showed in his debut against Tyson Fury that he could put up a fight. Although he lost a split decision, some in the boxing community felt that The Predator had been robbed of a win. The fight also earned him a top-ten ranking within the WBC, as he secured the Anthony Joshua fight. While he was knocked out by Joshua, the Fury and Joshua bouts earned him a reported $30 million combined.
That was more than what he had earned in his entire UFC career. That is also another reason why Pereira may pursue boxing since there are suggestions that they get paid more than the top-level UFC fighters. And looking ahead to the future, Pereira was ready to explore boxing. But it will not be against Jake.
“I think that was more for the media, for the hype. I don’t necessarily know if that makes a lot of sense. Maybe for an exhibition match or something like that. But honestly, I’m on another level, granted he is a boxer now. He’s a guy that trains boxing but I just feel like I’m on a different level.
“I like that [idea of boxing Usyk] a lot. I have obviously mentioned before my desire to box one day and I’d like to face the champion so I think that’s the fight that would make sense if I were to go and box. But, if he’s no longer the champion, then what makes sense is for me to do a fight where it’s champion vs. champion,” Pereira said
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