KSI (real name: Olajide Olayinka Williams Olatunji) has put forth his prediction for the upcoming Jake Paul vs. Anderson Silva fight. The UK YouTube megastar has picked 'The Problem Child' to beat 'The Spider' in their highly-anticipated matchup.
The 25-year-old Paul will face the 47-year-old Silva in an eight-round catchweight (187-pound) professional boxing bout at the Desert Diamond Arena in Glendale, Arizona, on October 29.
While Paul doesn't have nearly as much overall combat sports experience as Silva, he's competed in more professional boxing bouts than the former UFC star. Paul holds an unbeaten pro boxing record of 5-0.
Meanwhile, Silva's pro boxing record stands at three wins and one defeat. Nevertheless, the MMA legend is a terrifying striker. Silva notably holds the distinction of being the longest-reigning champion in UFC history, having held the middleweight belt for 2,457 days.
Certain sections of the combat sports world view 'The Spider' as a huge threat to YouTuber-turned-boxer Jake Paul's unbeaten boxing status. Alternatively, some believe that Silva is way past his athletic prime and would lose to 'The Problem Child' at this point in their respective careers.
KSI, a longtime rival of Paul, has time and again been linked to a potential boxing match with him. However, the much-discussed KSI-Paul grudge match hasn't materialized yet. KSI, for his part, seemingly believes his longtime foe will defeat Silva. The 29-year-old tweeted:
"Jake Paul will obviously win this"
The sparring session controversy leading up to the Jake Paul vs. Anderson Silva fight
An interview featuring Anderson Silva recently made waves. In the interview, Silva suggested that he'd been knocked out twice while sparring ahead of his upcoming fight against Jake Paul. Speaking to MMA Weekly via MMA Fighting, Silva stated:
"And the last sparring, he knocked me out two times, and when I finish my training, I talked to my coach and even said, 'Coach, let me tell you something, why the guys knock me out two times?' And the coach said, 'You need to prepare for war, and you prepare for war.'"
Watch Silva's interview below:
Consequently, several Jake Paul critics, including KSI, warned that the fight would be unfair and Paul would easily win.
Anderson Silva subsequently clarified that he misspoke. Apparently, he meant to say he'd been knocked down. Maybe Silva is still getting the hang of English.
Additionally, Silva's coach Luiz Carlos Dorea emphasized that the Brazilian MMA veteran hadn't been knocked out.
Silva reprimanded KSI over jumping to conclusions:
KSI responded by acknowledging the same and wished 'The Spider' good luck, whilst simultaneously criticizing Paul: