During a recent appearance on the JAXXON podcast, former UFC middleweight champion Michael Bisping didn’t hold back when discussing YouTuber-turned-boxer Jake Paul.
Sitting alongside UFC lightweight contender Arman Tsarukyan, Bisping shared his thoughts about Paul’s boxing career, particularly the highly publicized bout against boxing legend Mike Tyson.
The conversation began when the host brought up the friendship between Paul and Tsarukyan. Bisping acknowledged that Paul might be a decent person but quickly shifted the focus to how he believes Paul should approach his career if he wants to be respected as a legitimate athlete.
“Hey, don’t hang around with Jake Paul,” Bisping said.
When the host stated: “Jake Paul’s a good dude,” Bisping replied: “Yeah, but if you want to be known as a real athlete, hanging out with a bloody businessman that isn’t a real athlete…”
The discussion soon turned to Paul’s reported $50 million payday from the Tyson matchup. Bisping didn’t appear impressed by the figure, responding with a blunt assessment of the matchup.
“Yeah, that’s great,” he said. “Scripted match.”
Bisping then questioned the idea of a boxer in his athletic prime facing someone nearly three decades older.
“Who in their right mind, respectfully, would step into a ring in the prime of your life against a 58-year-old man?” he asked.
When the host pointed out that Tyson is widely considered one of the most dangerous boxers ever, Bisping acknowledged the his reputation, but still maintained his stance.
“Yeah, I know,” he replied. “But then act all hard about it. Nah, come on.”
According to Bisping, if Paul truly wants to earn credibility in the boxing world, the path is fairly simple: compete against opponents who are comparable in size, age, and competitive stage.
“Listen, I’m sure he’s a great guy. I’m just talking about the type of matches he’s had,” Bisping explained. “The fact he was going to compete against Gervonta Davis at 135. Just compete against someone your size, your weight, your age, in your prime. That’s all he’s got to do.”
When asked directly whether Paul could be considered a better boxer than Davis, Bisping gave a clear and immediate answer: “No, he’s not.”
Still, Bisping acknowledged that Paul should compete against someone his own weight and in their prime to achieve a level of legitimacy in the sport.
“He must be taken seriously as a boxer,” Bisping said. “There are many good cruiserweight boxers.”
Tsarukyan, who recently spent time with Paul in Armenia, offered a more neutral perspective on the situation. When asked about their trip together, the UFC lightweight kept things simple.
“We trained, we ate, we hung out,” Tsarukyan said.
When the hosts questioned whether an influencer or content creator could realistically compete with an elite boxers like Davis, Tsarukyan pushed back slightly in Paul’s defense, suggesting it’s not impossible for someone from outside the traditional boxing system to compete at a high level.
He also referenced Paul’s recent high-profile matchups while discussing the level of competition he has been seeking.
