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In the upcoming Netflix boxing event, rivalries that were once heated, Jake Paul and Anderson Silva, will now become allies. The announcement of the co-headliners has caused a conflict of emotions, ranging from absolute excitement to the lowest confidence regarding the crossover fights’ legitimacy and allure.
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Most Valuable Promotions proclaimed the news, and the images of the fights between Paul and Silva whirled back to the first when they faced each other on October 29, 2022. Now, in the most improbable way, they will be part of the same fight card that is already set for Friday, November 14, taking place at the Kaseya Center in Miami, and to be shown live, worldwide via Netflix. The event’s trailer, with an electrifying sound, declared Silva as the ‘fear of the pink belts’ and set the stage for the fight.
From the very beginning, the comments section turned out to be a battleground for differing opinions. One of the major topics was about Anderson Silva’s changeover to boxing. A user voiced a very common fear: “Anderson has a history of doing fake boxing fights lol I hope this one is real.” This remark shows the anxiety that the fights will be rigged and the whole premise of these celebrity-oriented matches will come into question.
An additional remark ignited a pretty fierce debate because it made an insane comparison. The author opined, “Anderson in boxing is equals to creating Mike Tyson in Taekwondo.” This comparison was not unchallenged. Many comments came to recognize Silva’s punching skill. One of the answers was, “You’re totally mistaken about Anderson. Anyone who dared to box him in MMA got the worse part of it. His weak point was always getting hit in the legs. The guy trained for years in Muay Thai and you come to me with this nonsense.” Another supporter said, “Spider is an exceptional boxer, he has already knocked out guys in MMA using just a jab while retreating.” The dispute kept alive, with one person arguing about the difference between boxing and Muay Thai, “Anderson Silva practised boxing his whole life? Yes; Mike Tyson ever practised Taekwondo? No. So your theory isn’t likely.”
Another point of dispute was the money aspect of these fights. A user merely raised a question, “Why are you guys going into Boxing?” The answers that followed were direct and plentiful. One of the responses was “It pays a lot,” “MONEYYYY,” and “It pays much more and he denounced and fought with the UFC guys.” A different user provided a more down-to-earth and less dramatic reason for a fighter’s switch to boxing, stating that “the risk of injury in boxing is 100 times lower, it is good for attracting these star fighters who are retired and making an event.” This certainly indicates the planned career moves of the retiring fighters like Silva, which are talent-wise.
There were also people who were not convinced that the announcement was very clear signals and some of them were just plain confused. A netizen wondered how real the promotional video was, saying, “Is this ai? Honestly can’t even tell anymore.” Another one was confused about the fighter’s weight, “Im so confused. Isn’t he like 50lb heavier ?” This shows how the boxing entertainment world can sometimes be very surreal.
Likewise, a lot of criticism was also dished out. One user branded the events as “ridiculous” while another one expressed his mixed feelings. “A bit torn, Anderson Silva is GOAT and I enjoy all his fights, but if this is anything like Mike Tyson’s fight with the clown, then I’ll just wait for the highlights on YouTube.” This really demonstrates the confusion of those fight purists who respect the athletes but also question the show.
There was somewhat of a comical touch as a user presented the dubious case of the Silva vs. Weidman conflict taking place on the boxing ring, saying: “Silva and Weidman in box make sense, no leg kicks 😂😂😂😂,”—referring to the very painful injury that occurred during their MMA rematch. Another user echoed the shared cynical view saying: “The only victory from this card will be the fighters getting paid. Can’t imagine it being entertaining.”
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The relationship between Jake Paul and Anderson Silva has gone a long way from fighting against each other to starring in the co-main event that signals the increasingly changeable and often controversial world of crossover boxing. Money considerations are apparent, but the ultimate question for the spectators remains, can the event deliver real sports competition? The announcement has indeed created a stir, but the real showdown will be on fight night. The public response is a mixture of optimism and doubt, thus, illustrating that such an event can still polarize the fight sports community. Paul recently taunted Gervonta Davis, showing his continued involvement in high-profile boxing drama. Elsewhere, a mysterious octopus video from Paul sparked widespread speculation among his followers. Looking ahead, Jake Paul revealed an ambitious five-year plan that includes world title and billionaire goals. Outside the ring, Paul promoted a 48-hour deodorant with a questionable ad campaign.
