Jake Paul’s Ex-Teammate Challenges Ilia Topuria After UFC Star’s Terence Crawford KO Claim

The buzz around MMA-boxing crossovers has reignited this week, and Ilia Topuria has put himself at the center of the conversation. The UFC lightweight champion took to social media to make a bold claim about boxing superstar Terence Crawford, suggesting that he could knock out Crawford – not just in an octagon, but in a boxing ring as well. And while we are yet to see a response from ‘Bud,’ a former member of Team Jake Paul has already issued a challenge.

‘El Matador’ didn’t hold back. Posting a photo with Crawford, he asked, “Who wins in a fight?” and followed it up with a fiery declaration: “I won’t talk about what would happen between me and Crawford in an Octagon; I’ll talk about what would happen in a ring. I put him to sleep in the first contact!”

Well, with a resume that includes knockouts over Alexander Volkanovski, Max Holloway, and Charles Oliveira, the UFC star isn’t afraid to show off his strength. But Anthony Taylor, a former MMA fighter and Jake Paul’s ex-sparring partner, was not going to let that slide. “What a f—– loser,” Taylor wrote, firing right back.

“Of course you will destroy him in a cage. Wya let me spar you and show you that there is levels in this s—!” Taylor understands the crossover industry inside out, having trained with Paul and earned a name for himself in influencer boxing, so his words surely carry weight among fans.

Taylor did not stop there. “Send location,” he said. “I’m sure your daddy, @danawhite, won’t let you spar me in the boxing ring.” He made it clear: Ilia Topuria may be powerful in the Octagon, but boxing is a whole different game. And Taylor is happy to put the Spanish-Georgian to the test. Topuria’s confidence, though, isn’t unfounded.

‘El Matador’ undefeated at 17-0 and has nine UFC wins, making him one of the top pound-for-pound fighters in MMA right now. He recently went up to lightweight, knocked out Charles Oliveira, and claimed the vacant belt, making him one of the most deadly strikers in the world. So while Team Jake Paul is throwing shade, it’s hard to dismiss Topuria’s claim outright. In fact, even Taylor recently backed the Spanish Georgian before the lightweight champion issued a challenge toward Crawford.

When Anthony Taylor picked Ilia Topuria against a boxing star

Even before ‘El Matador’ turned his attention to Terence Crawford, Anthony Taylor had already spoken about just how dangerous the UFC champ could be in a boxing ring. The Misfits star didn’t hold back when British boxer Conor Benn called out MMA fighters, including Ilia Topuria. Taylor quickly dismissed Benn’s confidence, claiming the match would be absolutely one-sided.

“Conor Benn is calling out killers like Ilia Topuria,” Taylor told Plejmo. “Correct me if I’m wrong, but he’s not even won a British boxing title. I had to laugh when I heard him mention Ilia’s name.” He made it clear that Topuria’s striking and power are on another level, saying, “That’s a world champ, bro, something only your daddy would know about. That’s a total mismatch.”

Taylor didn’t shy away from picturing just how dominant ‘El Matador’ could be. “Ilia, with the kind of power he has, knocks Benn out so badly that his daddy in Australia would feel it,” he said. And it hasn’t even been 10 days since he said that. So, even before Ila Topuria’s challenge to Crawford, Taylor was certain that the UFC lightweight champion could make a splash against a boxing star, proving that MMA’s elite can compete outside of the Octagon.