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UFC fighters partaking in crossover boxing fights seems to have become more and more prevalent in recent times. While crossover boxing fights are not a new thing, their popularity has undoubtedly gained new heights after Logan and Jake Paul appeared on the scene.
YouTubers-turned-celebrity boxers, the Paul brothers have created headlines in boxing and MMA circles by challenging famous personalities from different disciplines. Logan Paul made his professional debut against fellow YouTuber JJ 'KSI' Olatunji in 2019 after having drawn with KSI in his sole white-collar fight a year prior.
Logan Paul lost the bout and did not take any more fights until his most recent exhibition match against Floyd Mayweather on June 6. While there was no official winner for the bout, Logan was lauded for surviving eight rounds with the former multi-division world champion.
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Following in his brother's footsteps, Jake Paul made his professional debut on the same card that his brother fought KSI on in 2019. After scoring a technical knockout win against AnEsonGib in his debut, Jake Paul went on to knockout former NBA star Nate Robinson on the undercard of the exhibition fight between Mike Tyson and Roy Jones Jr.
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After being criticized for the quality of his opponents, Jake Paul took on former UFC fighter Ben Askren. Paul finished Askren before the two-minute mark of the opening round, which is proof of his legitimate knockout power. Jake Paul has now further stepped up his competition and is scheduled to fight former UFC welterweight champion Tyron Woodley.
With their current rises in the fight world, it is likely that the Paul siblings will find more and more UFC fighters stepping inside the ring against them moving forward. As the dynamics of the fight game change, let's take a look at 3 UFC fighters who can outclass the Paul brothers in boxing and 2 fighters who will likely lose to them:
#3 UFC fighter who can outclass the Paul Brothers in boxing: Jorge Masvidal
Since Jorge Masvidal is one of the most popular MMA fighters, there is a high probability of him facing one of the Paul brothers at some point in his career. Masvidal is an elite striker who entered the MMA scene on the back of his famous backyard brawls.
'Gamebred' is a true veteran of the sport and currently holds a 35-15 professional record with 16 knockout wins. Although Masvidal is coming off back-to-back UFC losses, he is still likely to get the better of the Paul brothers on any given day. Masvidal also has the added advantage of having worked with Jake Paul for his boxing match against Ben Askren.
#2 UFC fighter who is likely to lose against the Paul brothers in boxing: Tony Ferguson
While it might be saddening for UFC fans, Tony Ferguson is clearly past the peak of his career. Ferguson recently lost to Beneil Dariush in the co-main event at UFC 262, raising serious questions about how much the 37-year old has left in his tank.
While we might remember Tony for his magnificent 12-fight win streak, the former interim lightweight champion is currently on a three-fight skid. Ferguson had previously dropped a lopsided unanimous decision against Charles Oliveira at UFC 256.
Prior to that, Tony Ferguson took an absolute beating on the way to a fifth-round TKO loss against Justin Gaethje at UFC 249. Many argue that 'El Cucuy' was never the same again after his loss against Gaethje.
Ferguson has also been criticized for his unorthodox fighting style, which could definitely prove fatal for him in a technical boxing bout. As more flaws become evident in his game, it is likely that Tony Ferguson could lose to one of the Paul siblings in a boxing match towards the tail end of his career.
#2 UFC fighter who can outclass the Paul Brothers in boxing: Israel Adesanya
UFC middleweight champion Israel Adesanya is undoubtedly one of the best strikers to have ever graced the octagon. With a massive kick-boxing pedigree to boast of, a boxing match against either of the Paul brothers should hardly pose a challenge to 'Izzy'.
Adesanya currently sports a 21-1 professional career with his lone career loss coming from a failed bid to become the fifth two-division UFC champion in history. Israel Adesanya has 15 KO/TKO wins to his credit, and has left elite strikers like Anderson Silva, Robert Whittaker and Paulo Costa in his wake.
In a potential match against Israel Adesanya, either of the Paul siblings would probably fail to land clean shots and would instead run into 'Izzy's' precise counters.
#1 UFC fighter who is likely to lose against the Paul brothers in boxing: Islam Makhachev
Although UFC lightweight Islam Makhachev is often thrown into comparison with Khabib Nurmagomedov, he is certainly not as popular amongst fight fans. Makhachev is often on the receiving end of criticism despite being 19-1 in his professional MMA career. This is due to his grappling-reliant fighting style, which does not produce slugfests or highlight reel knockouts.
Out of his 19 career wins, 8 have come via submission in comparison to 3 knockout victories. Hence, it might be safe to say that striking is not exactly Islam Makhachev's forte.
As the Paul siblings methodically work on their pugilism, they are likely to outclass the Dagestani fighter in a boxing match. Makhachev's heavy reliance on wrestling could also lead to 'excessive holding' in a boxing match and even result in him being penalized.
#1 UFC fighter who can outclass the Paul Brothers in boxing: Conor McGregor
UFC superstar Conor McGregor is the likliest of fighters to be facing the Paul siblings at some point in his career. Jake Paul has already posted a callout to the Irishman and even offered $50 million dollars.
Conor McGregor is not new to the world of crossover boxing events, having faced Floyd Mayweather in a boxing match back in 2017. Although the former two-division UFC champion lost the match, it is unlikely that he will suffer the same fate against one of the Paul brothers. McGregor is currently 22-5 in his career and boasts of 19 highlight-reel knockouts.
While McGregor doesn't seem interested in fighting the Paul siblings at the moment, we can definitely expect a knockout from 'The Notorious One' if he ever changes his mind.
