Anderson Silva granted Arizona boxing license, inches closer to making Jake Paul fight official

Former UFC middleweight champion Anderson Silva is one step closer to boxing Jake Paul.

‘The Spider’ has been out of action since an exhibition boxing match with Bruno Machado in May. That outing was an eight-round affair that saw the latter being knocked down and dominated. However, because it was an exhibition, the bout wasn’t scored.

The one-off exhibition was another step in the former MMA fighter’s boxing career. The 47-year-old was released from the UFC following a loss to Uriah Hall in 2020. Following that, Silva began to embark on a run in the boxing ring.

The former UFC middleweight champion first faced Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. in June 2021. Silva dominated the former boxing champion and picked up an upset decision victory. He later returned to the ring that September, and knocked out Tito Ortiz.

It seems those performances may have been enough for Anderson Silva to secure a fight with Jake Paul. ‘The Problem Child’ has made a career off of boxing former UFC stars such as Tyron Woodley and Ben Askren.

Image Credit: Showtime Boxing

However, since the YouTuber’s cancelation with Hasim Rahman Jr. last month, he’s been looking for a new opponent. According to recent reports, he’s found his next opponent, that being Silva. The event is being targeted for October 29th on Showtime pay-per-view.

Lost in the reports was that boxing journalist Dan Rafael stated that the fight is likely to take place in Arizona. Now, MMAJunkie has confirmed that the showdown will likely take place there.

Earlier today, it was discovered that Anderson Silva was granted a boxing license in the state. The vote passed unanimously among Arizona State Athletic Commissioners. While the fight hasn’t yet been made official, this makes it one step closer to reality.

As far as the matchup itself goes, the former UFC middleweight champion is the current betting favorite. If the line holds, it’ll be the first time the YouTuber has been an underdog.

Are you excited for Anderson Silva vs. Jake Paul? Sound off in the comment section below!