"This kid is not a joke" - Daniel Cormier praises Jake Paul but explains why he loses to Anderson Silva

During a recent interview, Daniel Cormier took time to shower Jake Paul with praise, insisting that the YouTube star is a real fighter. However, he remains confident in Anderson Silva ahead of their boxing match later this month.

'The Spider' has been sensational since retiring from mixed martial arts and pursuing further ambitions in the boxing ring. Despite being 47, the Brazilian's impressive wins over Tito Ortiz and former WBC middleweight champion Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. has many fans expecting him to be victorious on October 29.

Though he had nothing but good words to say about Jake Paul, Daniel Cormier believes Anderson Silva's accolades since making a permanent move to boxing have been better than anything 'The Problem Child' has done in the sport.

During an interview with ESPN MMA, Cormier said:

"I think Anderson Silva wins the fight. If Jake Paul wins, he's a kid that's in his prime, and I say that knowing that now Jake Paul can fight, the guy can fight. I'm done being of the people that say this kid's a joke, this kid is not a joke, the kid can fight... Anderson beating Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. is bigger and better than anything he's [Jake Paul's] ever done... That is the biggest moment between the two and the biggest accomplishment between the two... Anderson wins the fight."

Daniel Cormier had the privilege of competing against Silva inside the octagon back in 2016. At UFC 200, 'DC' used his grappling prowess to overwhelm the consensus greatest 185lber of all time, nullifying his strengths for the majority of the bout.

Check out what the former two-division UFC champion had to say about the upcoming boxing match in the video below:

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How important is a win for Jake Paul against Anderson Silva?

Although Anderson Silva is a worthy opponent and clearly his toughest test to date, Jake has a must-win fight on his hands if he wants to continue thriving in the boxing ring.

A loss to the Brazilian would no doubt reflect badly on the 25-year-old's ambitious dreams of one day holding a coveted championship in the sport. On the flipside, a win would launch him in the right direction.

Paul has been angling for a fight against a professional boxer for some time. With a number of withdrawals, he's instead had to settle for another MMA veteran.

Another name on the star-studded list of possible future opponents is Nate Diaz. That could well be a matchup that soon gets booked following the Stockton native's departure from the UFC.