Muhammad Ali's grandsons respond to fight call-outs from Jake Paul

11 April 2023 , 09:14

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Muhammad Ali's grandsons respond to fight call-outs from Jake Paul

Muhammad Ali's grandsons Nico and Biaggio Ali Walsh have both turned down a fight with Jake Paul after the YouTube star called the brothers out.

Nico Ali Walsh is an established prospect in the boxing world, winning the WBC's 'Prospect of the Year' for 2022, while Biaggio is a fledgling amateur MMA fighter who is signed with Paul's MMA promotion PFL. And during a recent stream to promote PFL's last show, the social media star told host Wade Plemons that he would be interested in a deal to fight both brothers.

Paul is currently coming off his first loss against another legacy prospect in Tommy Fury, and is looking at his options for a next ring outing. And he is also preparing to make his debut in the MMA cage at some point next year, having signed a mega-money deal with PFL to be involved with the promotion in and out of their enclosure.

But neither brother is particularly interested, with Nico saying: "I have been asked that a few times. I would say that for me personally, right now, that's not something I'd be interested in now. I want to make a career for myself, I want to continue my grandfather's legacy in boxing and carve my own path as well.

"I feel like, no disrespect to him but once you fight someone in that category you often get categorised as that type of fighter. I have a hard time as it is proving myself as a real boxer and I haven't fought a YouTuber or anything like that so I want to stick with fighting the boxers and getting to the top."

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Jake Paul last to Tommy Fury last time out (Getty Images)

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The younger sibling is much less far along in his fight career, having swapped football for MMA during lockdown and still competing as an amateur in the cage. But he is also uninterested in facing Paul, noting that he is a considerably bigger fighter who last tipped the scales 30lb heavier than his usual fight weight of 155lb.

"Nico fights at 162lb," Biaggio noted. "I fight at 155lb, I have no problem with Jake Paul but he should fight someone his own size. I don't know why he's trying to fight people smaller than him. He fought at cruiserweight, 185lb, boxing. Fight at 185lb in MMA. He's a lot bigger than me, I don't know why he's trying to fight someone smaller than him. Fight someone your own size, I don't understand."

Paul is 6-1 as a professional boxer, taking his first defeat back in February at the hands of Tommy Fury, whose older brother Tyson is also an iconic heavyweight champion. He is now considering a bout with Nate Diaz, while a rematch with Fury or a YouTube grudge fight with KSI are still on the table.

Donagh Corby