Former UFC welterweight champion Kamaru Usman believes that the potential boxing match between Alex Pereira and Jake Paul is anything but predictable.
"The Problem Child" has persistently shown an avid fascination in taking on UFC stars in the boxing ring, and he's already notched victories against retired fighters such as Ben Askren, Anderson Silva, Tyron Woodley (twice), and Nate Diaz.
However, after securing a sixth-round TKO over former UFC fighter Mike Perry in a cruiserweight bout last weekend, Paul shocked the combat sports world by calling out reigning UFC light heavyweight champion Pereira.
The YouTuber-turned-boxer connected with "Poatan" via FaceTime. During the call, he asked the Brazilian and his manager if Pereira could negotiate his release from the UFC to turn this crossover matchup into a reality.
Pereira shared his perspective of the call, capturing a moment of uncertainty as he glanced sideways at his manager. This subtle gesture likely hinted at the complexities involved in securing UFC CEO Dana White's approval for the boxing match.
However, if the stars ever align, "The Nigerian Nightmare" holds a view contrary to the general consensus, believing that Paul has the potential to defeat striking phenom Pereira in a boxing showdown...
Usman Believes Paul's Arsenal Has 'Really Good' Moves To Challenge Pereira
During a recent episode of the Pound 4 Pound podcast with former two-division champion Henry Cejudo, Usman shared his thoughts on "The Problem Child's" callout of Pereira for a boxing match. The former welterweight titleholder expressed skepticism about the potential clash, citing Paul's strained relationship with White as a major obstacle.
No, it won't happen," Usman said. "I just don't think it's… Jake Paul, in the name of promoting nowadays, has done a lot of things and said a lot of things about Dana White that I feel are Colby Covington-esque. In that case, you've put yourself off to where I don't think Mr. Dana White ever wants to do business with you.
"The Nigerian Nightmare" added that if the matchup were ever to materialize, Paul would stand a fair chance of overcoming Pereira with his slick jabs and diverse arsenal.
I do believe Alex Pereira can win that fight, but I don't think it's an unwinnable fight for Jake Paul. Jake Paul definitely showed some really good things there, being able to stick by the jab. When he was able to commit to the jab, the jab was working. Yes, I know Alex Pereira is very good at doing the thing that gave Mike Perry success in that fight, but Alex Pereira also holds his hands very low.
Yes, he has a mean left hook, but he also holds his hands very low. That head moves when he's slipping and ripping, but other than that, it's not like it's constantly moving. It's not constantly doing what a boxer's head movement should be doing. So, I'm not completely counting Jake Paul out.
Paul is slated to face boxing legend Mike Tyson in a rescheduled bout on November 15. The social media influencer is currently riding a four-win streak in his 11-fight career, marred by only one setback—a split decision loss to Tommy Fury in February 2023.