On Saturday, Oct. 29, 25 year-old Youtube celebrity Jake Paul will go up against aging UFC Hall of Famer Anderson “The Spider” Silva inside the the boxing ring. Paul has already dismantled former UFC fighters Ben Askren and Tyron Woodley, now he will get his shot against the 47-year-old UFC Middleweight legend.
Paul is getting the love at the sports books. He’s currently -130, while Silva is EVEN odds at BetUS. And FanDuel has Silva at -106, while Paul is the favorite at -118. There are other legal online sports books out there that offer great bonus programs. Check your local government laws regarding online gaming to see if you’re eligible to play and win on this upcoming match.
Some things to keep in mind when thinking about Anderson Silva’s fighting career:
- He was the best UFC middleweight champion of all time without a doubt.
- He was known for his striking and pinpoint accuracy.
- He had one-punch KO power.
- He lost four of his last five fights inside the Octagon.
- His last UFC fight was in 2020 and he was stopped via TKO by Uriah Hall.
- He’s 3-1 as a pro boxer with his only loss being back in 1998.
- His biggest boxing win was a split decision over 36-year-old former champion Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. (52-6-1) in June 2021.
- In his last pro boxing match in Sept. 2021 he knocked out Tito Ortiz in 1:22 of the first round. That doesn’t really count.
Honestly, there’s not a lot of upsides betting on this fight unless you really feel strongly one way or the other. Paul has shown he’s no joke in the boxing ring. The kid has power and he’s taking it serious. Paul is 5-0 as a professional boxer since making his debut in Jan. 2020.
There is a good chance “The Spider” will be Paul’s toughest test yet in the ring. However, Tyron Woodley gave him a good run for his money in their first matchup in Aug. 2021. That bout ended with Paul taking a split decision but Woodley gave him all he could handle. Generally, Anderson is very elusive and hard to hit as a striker. He has good instincts and head movement.
The problem is Silva has inevitably slowed as he’s aged. In the UFC he also showed a tendency to prove he could take a punch. After getting hit sometimes he would stand there with his chin out and goad his opponent into trying to hit him. That would be a terrible idea against Jake Paul.
Silva can definitely defeat Jake Paul in the boxing ring. But he will need to keep his composure and not try to toy with Paul too much or get too cocky. Paul is hungry and without a doubt a smart businessman. Another UFC veteran, especially one with Silva’s clout, would look mighty good on his resume.
We’ll see what happens Oct. 29 live on Showtime PPV.