Jake Paul’s MMA Debut Faces Permanent Delay Due to Focus on Boxing
Despite signing with PFL and starting training,, Paul has chosen to continue his boxing pursuits. He is scheduled to fight boxing heavyweight legend Mike Tyson on July 20.
Jake Paul's MMA debut faces an indefinite postponement. Originally slated to make his first Professional Fighters League (PFL) appearance this year, Paul's entry into MMA has been delayed.
Despite signing with PFL and starting training,, Paul has chosen to continue his boxing pursuits. He is scheduled to fight boxing heavyweight legend Mike Tyson on July 20.
PFL chief Donn Davis has stated that Paul's debut in the MMA cage is on hold until further notice.
He said:
"The good news is, if people didn't think Jake was serious about combat, he's proven to be serious.
"He's certainly got better. He's doubled down on boxing at the minute, there's no question about it.
"There was a time when he might have done 50/50 of both and right now it looks like he might be 90/10 in favour of boxing over MMA.
"So his development in MMA is not coming along as quickly as we thought. Will he fight for the PFL? One hundred per cent.
"Will he move to MMA? One hundred per cent. Is the timing delayed? It is."
Paul proposed an MMA rematch to Nate Diaz, whom he defeated in a boxing match in August 2023, but no such match has materialised yet.
Since signing with the Professional Fighters League (PFL), the 26-year-old has achieved victories over Andre August in December 2023 and Ryan Bourland in March 2024. His upcoming bout with boxing heavyweight legend Mike Tyson, despite their 31-year age difference, is currently his main priority, although it has faced some criticism.
Paul defends his decision to accept the fight against Tyson, seeing it as an unmissable opportunity. Tyson, who retired from professional boxing in 2005 and will be 58 at the time of their fight, last appeared in an eight-round exhibition against Roy Jones Jr in November 2020, which ended in a draw. Boxers such as Heavyweight champion Usyk have defended the fight, believing it only adds to the global interest in the sport of boxing, especially if looking at betting on boxing stats since the rise in influencer and Misfits boxing.
Despite his long absence from professional fights, Paul respects Tyson's enduring power, a sentiment echoed by fans who have noted Tyson's evident speed in recent training footage.