When UFC featherweight champion Ilia Topuria joined Adin Ross for an online broadcasting session in Miami, the conversation took an unexpected turn with a phone call from boxer Jake Paul.
What started as friendly banter quickly escalated into a heated exchange about boxing skills, sparring offers, and PED testing protocols.
The discussion began when Ross asked Topuria to comment on Paul’s boxing abilities.
“I like the way he represents himself as a boxer. I think he sucks. He’s a very bad boxer. But I love like being that bad, how he does it and how he promotes himself is very,” Topuria said.
Ross then asked: “You don’t think he’s a good boxer at all? And why don’t you think he’s a good boxer?”
Topuria stated his reasoning: “Because he’s not a good boxer. He doesn’t have the skills to be a good boxer. But anyways, he’s doing a great job because he sells more than most people who are great.”
When Paul called in, he immediately challenged the UFC champion. “I respect you, bro. I think you’re awesome. I just think that if you think I’m a bad boxer, then we should spar,” Paul proposed.
The offer mirrored previous challenges he had extended to other UFC stars, including Paddy Pimblett, whom Paul claimed refused despite being offered a private jet and one million dollars.
The conversation shifted to PED testing when Topuria mentioned UFC athletes being clean professionals. “Remember something that when we compete in the UFC we are professional athletes. That means that we are clean. We don’t use anything,” Topuria stated.
Paul quickly responded to the implication. “We do d**g testing, too. We do USADA d**g testing for my matches,” he asserted.
Topuria acknowledged the claim but appeared skeptical. “I don’t know if you are in the same pool, but we have the controls all the time,” he replied.
Paul pressed his point further. “Yeah. Nine positives for the Anthony Joshua match,” he claimed, suggesting he had undergone multiple tests for his upcoming bout.
He then suggested that UFC CEO Dana White had created negative narratives about him. “Like people love to use the excuse. Your boss, your daddy Dana made that up because he was upset that I kept on beating all his UFC atheletes.”
The sparring challenge remained on the table as the call concluded, with Paul saying, “Once it happens and we spar like that the talking will be over.” Paul responded with confidence.
