Oleksandr Usyk challenges Jake Paul to MMA fight after forthcoming boxing retirement
Gervonta Davis, Anthony Joshua, Oleksandr Usyk — Jake Paul is planning quite an impressive combat sports résumé.
Paul, who faces WBA lightweight champion "Tank" Davis in a Nov. 15 exhibition boxing match on Netflix, is already in negotiations to take on former heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua in 2026, with Nakisa Bidarian, the co-founder of Most Valuable Promotions, revealing to multiple outlets earlier this week that the sides have reached an agreement in principle for the bout.
Now, Paul has set his sights on boxing's undisputed heavyweight champion: Usyk.
The internet star-turned-boxer reiterated his desire to face Usyk — Uncrowned's No. 2 pound-for-pound boxer — in a social media post Wednesday that detailed Paul's five-year plan.
The Ukrainian champion and Paul faced off in the ring after the former's fifth-round knockout win over Daniel Dubois in July to become a two-time undisputed heavyweight champion. Paul called out Usyk in a subsequent post of the faceoff — but for an MMA match, rather than a boxing bout.
Congrats to one of the greatest heavyweights of all time @usykaa on a huge win. I respect you a lot. Now we do an MMA match for the world @MostVpromotionspic.twitter.com/1MgsKyG13z
— Jake Paul (@jakepaul) July 19, 2025
Paul's challenge to Usyk appears to have been a real one — and with the polarizing American reiterating the goal Wednesday on social media, Usyk looks to be taking it seriously too.
Usyk responded:
"Good plan, @jakepaul. But I’m not here for 5th place — only first. Soon, I'll close the book on boxing, and after that, I’ll be waiting for you in the cage. Let’s see if you’ve got the balls or just a hunger for hype."
Good plan, @jakepaul. But I’m not here for 5th place — only first.
Soon, I'll close the book on boxing, and after that, I’ll be waiting for you in the cage. Let’s see if you’ve got the balls or just a hunger for hype. https://t.co/d0IuwLesKX— Oleksandr Usyk (@usykaa) September 24, 2025
Usyk declared in February that he had just two fights left in his inevitable Hall of Fame boxing career. He's since beaten Dubois, which means his next fight is expected to be his swan song.
While a boxing retirement is likely forthcoming, Usyk doesn't appear to be ready to walk away from combat sports altogether.
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Usyk vs. Paul in MMA would be a spectacle and continue the latter's streak of delivering major events.
Paul signed a multi-year deal with the PFL in 2023 but has yet to compete in an official MMA bout.
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