GLENDALE, Ariz. — The Problem Child had a problem.

Had a solution, too.

Jake Paul found his power at a moment when it looked as if defeat was imminent, knocking down MMA legend Anderson Silva Saturday night in the final round of a closely-contested cruiserweight fight on Showtime pay-per-view at Desert Diamond Arena.

The knockdown, scored by  short right hand, was timely and critical to a Paul victory that is sure to generate some controversy. Paul (6-0, 4 KOs) was awarded a unanimous decision. 

Judge PaulCalderon scored it 77-74. Chris Wilson and Dennis O’Connell both had 78-73, all for Paul, the celebrity fighter, who is more of social-media phenomenon than he is proven prospect. 

The scorecard margins were big enough that Paul would have won even without the knockdown. But the first seven rounds appeared to favor Silva (3-2, 2 KOs), a 47-year-old Brazilian who was fighting as a boxer for only fifth time in his storied career.

“They’re going to find something to say,” Paul said. ” ‘Fight a real boxer.’ I tried. If I were walking on water, people would say that I can’t swim. There’s always going to be haters. There’s always going to be critics. It’s an everyday part of life if you’re doing something and being successful. I don’t worry about it.”

The argument with this decision will start with Silva’s hands. They were quicker. They were more precise. According to a ringside computer, Silva’s landed 31 percent of his punches. Paul landed 25 percent. Yet, Silva didn;t argue with the decision

“That’s the game,” Silva said. “Sometimes you win, sometimes you lose. But nothing will change in my life. I’ll continue training hard because I’m born for this. Now, I go back home, continue training and see the next challenge.

“I think the judges got it right. Listen, it’s tough to come inside here and fight a young kid. I tried to do my best. I trained hard every day. Jake is better than me today. I don’t have anything bad to say about my opponent. I think everybody needs to respect this kid because he’s doing the best job.

The fight began with Paul doing what he does best. First he mugged for the cameras. Then, he stuck out his tongue. The show was underway. It’s what he didn’t do that suggested he might be in for a tough night. He kept his hands low and himself in peril.

Silva noticed. So, too, did just about everybody in a roaring crowd of 14,430 patrons. Paul was there, his face a moving target. It was an invitation to attack and Silva did. He rocked Paul with a left hook in the first round. He rocked him again in the second. Paul’s face began to show redness near both eyes. He looked surprised.

In the third, he began to look for a single knockout punch. Mostly, he would lunge and miss. But there were signs that the middle-aged Silva had begun to slow down. Paul was getting closer with every lunge, although Silva repeatedly mounted an assault during the closing seconds of every round.

In the eighth, however, he slowed down just enough for Paul to land a critical shot. It didn’t win the fight. On the scorecards, Paul had already won. But it gave him an argument in a scorecard controversy sure to continue.

Paul knows that. For him, there’s always another controversy.So, he moved on to the next one.

“This is just the start,” Paul said. “I want Nate Diaz. Canelo (Alvarez), you too. You guys said, ‘You can’t beat a striker, you can’t beat a legend like Anderson Silva.’ I just did it. 

“So, why can’t I beat Canelo?”
Trying to explain why he can’t is, well, just another Problem.

Ashton Sylve scores first-round stoppage

Ashton Sylve calls himself H2O. Maybe that’s because water has its own force. Once it starts moving, it can’t be stopped.

So far, neither can Sylve (8-0, 8 KOs).

It took the 18-year-old lightweight from Long Beach Calif. exactly 61 seconds to stop Braulio Rodriguez (20-5, 17 KOs), of the Dominican Republic, Saturday in the last fight before Jake Paul and Anderson Silva took center stage at Desert Diamond Arena .

One Sylve punch hit Rodriguez. A sudden left hit put Rodriguez down. Rodriguez slammed hs fist onto the canvas in frustration. Then, he tried to get up. But his sense of balance was gone. He stumbled one way and then another. It was over, Sylve a stoppage winner at 1:01 of the first round

Santiago wins rematch, Nieves quits after seventh round

It was dull. Decisive, too.

Mexican bantamweight Alejandro Santiago fought deliberately and did what he said would, forcing Antonio Nieves to quit after seven rounds in a rematch of their 2016 draw Saturday night at Desert Diamond Arena.

Santiago (27-3-5, 14 KOs) threw body shots while moving in and out tirelessly. Nieves (20-4-2, 11 KOs) never seemed to counter in any way. He simply wore out in a fight that Santiago promised would not go to the scorecards.

Le’Veon Bell runs into debut defeat

Former NFL running back Le’Veon Bell said a few days before his pro debut that boxing was tougher than football.

“In the ring, you’ve got no teammates,” he said.

Moments into his first pro fight Saturday at Desert Diamond Casino, Bel looked around as though he missed those teammates. Retired UFC star Uriah Hall, making his boxing debut at heavyweight, rocked him around like a linebacker. He landed jabs and body shots. At the end of the third, Bell looked stunned. He looked as if he needed a back-up.

But this is boxing. No backups and no breathers. For Bell, there was only a tough loss by unanimous decision, 40-36 on all three cards. 

Dr. Mike loses pro debut

Diagnosis: Mismatch

Dr. Mike Varshavski quickly discovered that the sweet science isn’t the medical science.

The practicing physician from New York got rocked repeatedly by a tough Chris Avila, who staggered  the good doctor with  right hooks and then stinging left hands Saturday on the first pay-per-view fight on Jake Paul-Anderson Silva card at Dester Diamond Casino..

Repeatedly, Avila (2-1), a cruiserweight from Stockton Calif., flashed menacing smiles at Varshavski. Every smile seemed to say: Welcome to my world.

In the end, Avila won a unanimous decision, 40-36 on all three cards. It wasn’t immediately clear whether Dr. Varshavski would fight again as a pro. He donated his entire purse, $175,000, to the Harlem Boys and Girl Club 

Jeremiah Milton silences the boos 

A stoppage was the only way to silence the boos.

Jeremiah Milton (7-0, 6 KOs) delivered it, a multi-punch silencer that turned boos into cheers with a fifth-round stoppage Quintin Sumpter (5-1, 4 KOs) in a heavyweight fight, the final bout Saturday before Showtime’s pay-per-view telecast of a card featuring Jake Paul-Anderson Silva at Desert Diamond Arena.

A growing crowd grew increasingly restless with Sumpter’s early tactics. Sumpter, of Pittsfield MA, would dance, mix in an occasional punch and then dance away. By the fourth, the crowd lost its patience. Boos filled the arena. In the fifth, Milton, of Las Vegas, finished it with successive punches to the temple that put Sumpter on the canvas. When got back onto his feet, he stumbled. At 39 seconds of the round, it was over — Milton a TKO winner. 

Shadasia Green marches on to an 11-0 record

Shadasia Green, tireless and powerful, continued on her march forward.

This time, Ogleidis Suarez was in her way. But not for long. 

Green (11-0, 10 KOs), a feared super-middleweight from Paterson NJ, walked her down and was about to walk all over her Venezuelan opponent until Suarez corner was left with only one reasonable option: Surrender.

Green was declared the winner after Suarez (3–5-1, 14 KOs) decided not to come out of her corner for the fifth round of a fight on the non-televised part of the Paul-Silva card.

Glendale’s Danny Flores wins sixth-round stoppage

It was a cross-town battle, Glendale’s Danny Flores against Phoenix rival Edgar Ortiz Jr..

Score one for Glendale.

Actually, the aggressive Flores (11-0, 3 KOs) scored often, rocking Ortiz (8-4-2, 4 KOs) repeatedly late in the third round and again in fourth and fifth of junior-featherweight bout on the non-televised portion of the Paul-Silva card. Early in the sixth, the unbeaten Flores applied the finisher, overwhelming a tiring Ortiz with a wave of punches. It was over, Flores a TKO winner, at 30 seconds of the sixth

Glendale junior-featherweight wins unanimous decision 

Adrian Rodriguez grew up within a couple miles of Desert Diamond Arena. He has walked around it. He’s done road work around it.

Saturday, he won in it.

Rodriguez (3-0), a young-junior featherweight, employed quick feet and quicker hands, scoring a one-side decision over Dominique Griffin (4-3-1, 2 KOs) of Irving,TX in a four rounder, the second bout on the Jake Paul-Anderson featured card. It was a shutout, 40-36,  on all three scorecards.

First Bell: Eliezer Silva opens Paul-Silva show with quick stoppage

It began with only echoes.

Los Angeles junior-middleweight Eliezer Silva (2-0, 1 KO) stated it off, landing a big punch that created a lot of echoes in an empty Desert Diamond Arena Saturday afternoon on the non-televised part of the Showtime pay-per-view card featuring Jake–Anderson Silva.

Silva caught Anthony Hannah, who had dropped his hands, leaving himself wide open for the shot that ended the matinee bout. Hannah (3-5, 2 KOs), of Augusta GA, crashed onto the canvas, prompting the referee to end it at 1:57 of the second round. 

NEW YORK – October 19, 2022 – “Doctor Mike” Varshavski showed deft footwork and pop in his punches during a workout in front of New York City media on Tuesday before he ducked out to make his afternoon shift at the Overlook Medical Center in Summit, N.J., where he’s an attending physician. Dr. Mike will balance practicing medicine with training for his professional boxing debut when he takes on Chris Avila in a four-round cruiserweight bout on Saturday, October 29 as part of the Most Valuable Promotions (MVP) and SHOWTIME PPV^® event headlined by Jake Paul vs. UFC legend Anderson Silva at Desert Diamond Arena (formerly Gila River Arena) in Glendale, Ariz., just outside Phoenix.

The Jake Paul vs. Anderson Silva Most Valuable Promotions SHOWTIME PPV is available now for purchase in the United States at SHOWTIME.com/ppv and via the SHOWTIME^® app for a suggested retail price of $59.99 (SRP). Tickets are on sale now and can be purchased at ticketmaster.com. The official promo for the event was inspired by the 1983 cult classic Scarface and is available to watch and share HERE.

A social media influencer with over 22 million followers, Dr. Mike plans to donate his entire purse on October 29 to the Boys & Girls Club of Harlem, whose executive director, Sharon Joseph, was in attendance during Tuesday’s workout. Dr. Mike, a board-certified family doctor who was named People magazine’s Sexiest Doctor Alive, started his boxing journey nearly 11 years ago after his mom died of leukemia, and he found refuge in the steady routine of training.

During the early days of the pandemic, his popular YouTube page emerged as a reliable source of health information with interviews with Dr. Anthony Fauci and other health authorities. Senator Chuck Schumer has invited Dr. Mike to appear with him at press conferences to discuss health projects that Schumer has championed. Dr. Mike appeared in a YouTube video with super lightweight contender Ryan Garcia who proclaimed that Dr. Mike “beats any YouTuber” after working out with him.

Dr. Mike entertained media at the Last Round gym in Chelsea, Manhattan on Tuesday under the direction of respected head trainer, Thomas Baldwin, and assistant Steve Frank, an 11-year pro who once challenged Bernard Hopkins for the middleweight title in 1996.

Here is what Dr. Mike had to say on Tuesday:

DR. MIKE VARSHAVSKI

“I’m living out my boyhood dream being able to fight on SHOWTIME PPV. Getting to face Chris Avila and getting a taste of what it feels like to be a real warrior inside that ring is a dream come true. I’m looking forward to making my teammates proud and showing all the hard work we’ve done in the gym. I know it’s not as long as some other fighters, but I understand the privilege that comes along with being in this position. I’m going to make the most of this one opportunity that I have to make my patients, my co-workers and all the people that watch my YouTube channel proud to encourage them to stay active, stay fit and to live to the top of their potential so they can stay happy and healthy.

“Not only do I have this connection to boxing for the love of the sport – but also because of how I fell into the sport. About 11 years ago, I lost my mom to cancer in the middle of medical school. I found myself in a dark place. I was fortunate enough to meet my head trainer Thomas [Baldwin] here over 10 years ago. He started training me when I was little kid with braces and a hoodie coming into the gym, just coming in once a week for the love of the sport.

“Over the last year, Thomas [Baldwin] and I kicked it into high gear. I see the work that he puts into training me. He has a family. He has kids. He always makes time to be here for me and that’s always appreciated and with my many other jobs that I have, I make sure to be here every day. I’ve never once canceled on Thomas since we’ve been doing this, and I look forward to continuing that streak.”

How do you balance boxing with your other pursuits?

“The biggest edge I have – and it’s funny that it’s even an edge — is that I don’t have a big family and I don’t have kids so I’m able to dedicate myself to the craft of boxing to make sure I’m there every single day. I make sure to stay super organized with my team that’s here. They help me with my YouTube stuff and everything else that we have in line. The podcast – we’re launching special products at the end of this year. We’re doing this with a very small team but because we’re very passionate we believe in the message: Ethics, motivation.

“Right now, the people that look at YouTube boxers and the sphere of influencers that are getting into the boxing space – there’s a lot of beef, a lot of arguing, name calling, and while that has been successful in boxing – props to Floyd Mayweather and everything he’s created – I’m trying to do this differently. I’m trying to be respectful and a true artist in the sport of boxing, where we’re doing it for the love of the game. I respect my opponent but once we step into the ring, they are my opponent. So, we’re going to go as hard as we can, and I want him to go as hard as he can because I don’t want this to be easy.”

On wanting to face Jake Paul in the future:

“I think there’s a lot of fighters in my size range in the 180-190 range that will be very interesting to take on. Also, we have to keep in my mind that I’m a practicing doctor, so we have to see what the schedule holds, what the timing is, but I like to be optimistic rather than pessimistic, so I think there’s great things on the horizon.

“I think Jake Paul caught a lot of flack for being very inflammatory and instigative, and he had to do that to create a name for himself in boxing because otherwise people really wouldn’t pay attention to him. But now I’m very appreciative of the stuff he’s doing to improve fighter pay. He’s got Amanda Serrano fighting in sold-out Madison Square Garden. He helped her achieve that. I’ve become very close to her family and see how grateful she is for the things he’s helped her as a team achieve. So, if he keeps doing that, then that’s amazing and I want to see only continued success for him.”

# # #

ABOUT PAUL VS. SILVA

International superstar and serial risk-taker Jake “The Problem Child” Paul will face the biggest challenge of his career when he takes on UFC legend and accomplished boxer Anderson “The Spider” Silva in an eight-round bout at a catchweight of 187 pounds on Saturday, October 29 in a Most Valuable Promotions event live on SHOWTIME PPV (9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT) from Desert Diamond Arena, just outside of Phoenix, Ariz. In undercard action, teenage sensation Ashton Sylve will put his knockout streak on the line against Braulio Rodriguez in an eight-round lightweight bout contested at 133 pounds. Top 118-pound contenders and former world title challengers Alexandro “El Peque” Santiago and Antonio “Carita” Nieves will meet again in a 10-round rematch of their exciting 2016 showdown. Elite UFC striker Uriah Hall and former NFL star running back Le’Veon Bell will make their pro debuts in a four-round cruiserweight bout contracted at 195 pounds. In addition, Chris Avila, a disciple of UFC superstar Nate Diaz, will square off against “Doctor Mike” Varshavski, a board-certified family physician and social media influencer, in a four-round cruiserweight bout contracted at 185 pounds.

GLENDALE, ARIZ. – October 5, 2022 – Ashton “H20” Sylve, Most Valuable Promotion’s teenage sensation and one of boxing’s most exciting prospects, promised to make it “eight KOs in eight fights” during a virtual press conference on Wednesday alongside his upcoming opponent Braulio Rodriguez, who vowed to continue the recent string of success for Dominican boxers in the sport. Sylve vs. Rodriguez takes place Saturday, October 29 from Desert Diamond Arena (formerly Gila River Arena) in Glendale, Ariz., just outside of Phoenix, live on SHOWTIME PPV^® in a Most Valuable Promotions event.

Also speaking with the media to preview their October 29 showdown were two of the sport’s most intriguing newcomers, combat sports veteran and Nate Diaz disciple Chris Avila and his opponent, “Dr. Mike” Varshavski, a board-certified family physician and social media influencer with nearly 23 million followers.  Avila, a veteran of both the UFC and BELLATOR, hopes that a strong performance against Varshavski can lead to more opportunities against top boxers while “Dr. Mike” shed light on his motivation behind making his pro boxing debut and revealed that he will be donating his entire fight purse to the Boys and Girls Club of Harlem in New York City.

Tickets for the event are on sale now and can be purchased at ticketmaster.com.

Here is what the fighters had to say on Wednesday:

ASHTON SYLVE

“We came together as a team to figure out what opponent is best for my career path. I don’t want to rush anything. I’m only 18 years old so I don’t want to put anything past the speed that we’re going but we all felt like this is a great step-up fight. Every fighter that I’ve fought was a step-up. This fight will let me showcase my talents and show that I am built for this.

“The message that I’m trying to send is that I’m built for this and that I’ve been groomed for this since the amateurs where I was going overseas and fighting different kinds of fighters and doing everything that has led to where I am now. That message will be sent on October 29.

“The knockout streak will definitely continue. That’s what I’m looking forward to. I’m not going in there with the mindset that I will take him out in the first round but if it comes, it comes. But yes, the streak will continue.

“Rodriguez is an experienced fighter. He knows different techniques. But at the end of the day, I think he is low-key a sloppy fighter. He’s a sloppy and dirty fighter from what I saw from the Ryan Garcia fight. But we will see on October 29.

“This is something I’ve dreamed of my entire life so of course this is going to be big. This is just my eighth fight and being on this platform will put me in the next stage and show everyone who H20 is.

“Jake Paul is a great guy. He is teaching me both the game of boxing and outside of boxing. He’s more like a brother to me. Promotion wise, you see where I’m at and where Amanda [Serrano] is at so those are examples right there.

“I don’t feel any pressure at all being on this stage. I’ve been in the spotlight since I was eight years old. I was recognized by Floyd at an early age. I don’t think there is any pressure from here on out. I’ve been dealing with this type of stuff with my family and friends and the city of Long Beach so stuff like this doesn’t bring any pressure to me.

“I envision the fight as me knocking him out. I don’t see myself on the other side of the table. I respect him of course. But the other side of respect is being earned, so he has to earn it by showing up. For him to fight back, that’s a great thing because I feel like my other opponents didn’t bring the type of pressure he is about to bring so it’s going to be an exciting fight. I can’t wait.

“I always want to put on a phenomenal performance first and foremost, rather than just focusing on having a knockout. But I’m not overlooking him and I believe that breaking him down will be the key to success in this fight. If I break him down, sooner or later the knockout will come.”

BRAULIO RODRIGUEZ

“This is going to be a great fight. It’s going to come down to who takes care of the details best and who is the most ready to fight when the time comes. The goal is to give the fans a great fight and to show that I am here to stay.

“I feel like it’s night and day compared to when I fought against Ryan Garcia – I underestimated him. I didn’t prepare the way I should have. I only had eleven days to prepare for that fight, but that’s not an excuse. I know that I was punished for overlooking how dangerous Garcia could be. Now I’m more mature. I’m ready to show the world best version of myself.  I’m not going to make the same mistake twice. I’m taking Sylve very seriously.

“Ashton can say whatever he wants, but I do agree with him that this fight isn’t going to reach the judges. It’s going to be do-or-die. You knock me out or I knock you out. I know what I’m doing inside the ring, and I know exactly what I have to do to come out victorious in this fight. I see your confidence and I see what you’re saying, but let’s see what happens inside the ring on October 29. The rest is just talk.

“When it comes to the Ryan Garcia fight, I was not in the proper shape. I overlooked the fight and underestimated Garcia and I paid the price. I’ve also won plenty of fights by knockout. I shouldn’t be defined by just that one loss. I’m in a new stage of my life where I feel at peace and I’m in great physical and mental shape right now. Ashton Sylve is a great opponent and we’re going to put on a great show. When it comes time to show my worth, trust me, I’m going to show that I am willing and able to show that I am the real deal.

“Dominican boxing is on fire right now. My compatriot Edwin De Los Santos was an underdog against Jose Valenzuela and he came out with the win. Alberto Puello and Hector Garcia were great and proved why they are champions. I hope that I can join that club now by proving that I am a quality fighter. With all due respect to Sylve, I’m a professional fighter who has a lot of talent. I know what I can do and I hope to continue the Dominican line of success and make everybody proud.

“My strategy is focused on Ashton’s inexperience because he has never fought against somebody of my quality or my experience. Put the Ryan Garcia fight aside and I have a 95 percent knockout rate. 18 out of 20. Ashton, don’t get cocky. If you do, then boxing and life will surprise you in ways that you least expect. I have firsthand experience in that given how I underestimated that Ryan Garcia fight. My experience can be the deciding factor in this fight.

“I just want to win and don’t care whether it’s by knockout or decision. I respect Ashton a lot and know that he has tremendous talent. I know that it’s not going to be easy, but I’m going in there like it’s do-or-die. I’m going to have my arm raised in the end and I don’t care how.”

CHRIS AVILA

“I’m excited to fight on this card against a good opponent. I’m ready to showcase that I’m a real boxer and I’m just happy to be able to fight on such a good card. I’m excited to go out there and put on a good show for everybody.

“I do believe Dr. Mike is playing a dangerous game. I’m not overlooking anybody. It’s a dangerous game. It’s the fight game, so I’m ready.

“I think this is just the next step that’s going to line me up for better fights that I want and deserve. I plan on fighting real competition and real boxers after this fight. I want to get back to facing real competition, but I’ll fight anybody at the end of the day. Why not take this fight?

“I saw a little bit of his fight against [iDubbbz]. I’m sure he’s got a little bit of a skillset. I’m taking him seriously.

“I plan to go in there and look for the finish like I always do. It’s whatever. I don’t care about what anybody says. We’re boxing. I believe in myself and believe I can do whatever I want.

“There’s no extra pressure because people expect me to win and knock him out. I take my stuff very seriously. I’m taking this fight, going to get it done, and then I want to line myself up for a real fight after this and get back to fighting high-level competition. I’m not overlooking this guy at all, though. I’m taking him seriously. I want to get in there with a vet, somebody like Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. I was in talks to fight him a while back and I would like to get in there with him.

“I’ve been fighting real fighters my whole career. I’ll fight anybody. Whoever wants to fight me, what’s up? I ain’t tripping.

“I just want to show the boxing world that I’m a real boxer. I’ve been in the game for a while. It’s just the beginning for me. I’m always going to be fighting. I’m still young. I still have a lot in me. It’s just the beginning.”

“DR. MIKE” VARSHAVSKI

“I’m extremely excited to be a part of this event and to be on SHOWTIME Pay-Per-View. It’s obviously a dream for any fighter and I realize the blessing and opportunity I have in front of me, so I’ve been working extremely hard with my coaches and making sure I’m putting in the valuable work while maintaining my day job as a physician.

“I do suspend that Hippocratic oath of do no harm when I step into the ring, but I respect the fight game. I have incredible respect for Chris Avila and the work he’s put in as a combat veteran. When I was younger, I would frequently throw around words that this fighter is not that good or this fighter is amazing or this fighter is a bum, but being in the fight game to the small degree that I am now, I realize the work that all fighters put in, so I have tremendous respect for everyone that steps into the ring.

“Twenty-three million followers, in a very successful day job — I’m doing this to inspire people to reach their full potential. I’m trying to lead by example to show you should take on challenges when it’s a challenge you feel you can accomplish, and this is something I’ve always wanted to take on.

“I fell in love with boxing 11 or 12 years ago when my mom passed away and I was really struggling to find ways to stay active and healthy and boxing became a passion of mine. I was doing it for fitness, which is what I recommend to my viewers. Not everyone has to step into the ring to enjoy what boxing can deliver, but over the last year or two I’ve been training very hard and sparring with amateurs and professionals. I understand this isn’t a game. I know that people can get really hurt. I’m not only a boxer but I’m also a doctor at the end of the day, so I know the dangers involved with stepping into the ring.

“This is my pro debut. I had an exhibition fight earlier this year that was comfortable and now I’m drastically stepping up the quality of opponent that I’m going to be competing against. Chris is a veteran in the fight game, he’s never been knocked out, he’s a tough guy, he comes from a tough training background. I didn’t want to go in and have an easy fight and fight other YouTubers that didn’t have any training or experience. If I want to do this for real, I need to see what it’s like and this was a great opportunity, so I’m grateful for Chris for giving me this opportunity.

“In May I stepped into a main event that was sold out with over 100,000 pay-per-view buys. I did quite well. It was a five-round fight. The judges gave me every round. The quality of the competition — I felt I could handle more. It would be cool to fight YouTubers if it was about raising clout, making money. That’s not what this is about for me. In fact, I’m donating my entire fight purse to the Harlem Boys & Girls Club of New York. This is a challenge that I set for myself and that I take quite seriously.

“I’m confident going into this fight because of my coach, Thomas Baldwin, who has really guided me on this journey. What’s interesting about this relationship is that even though he’s been training me for 10 years, I take care of his family as their physician. He entrusts me with their lives, so I then entrust my life to him. He believes I’m ready, so I believe I’m ready.

“To me this is about reaching the top of my potential, which is something I tell all my viewers to do, and I get a lot of joy inside that ring. I can’t imagine doing something else right now. Despite the fact I’m working two or three days a week in the hospital, filming two and three days a week for the YouTube channel, just launched a new podcast with a new guest Steve-O, coming out next week that I’m really excited about – I still continue training twice a day, six days a week, just like any other professional, making sure I eat right, and making sure I rest. It’s just a true passion and I truly want to give my one last shot before I age out of competitive fitness.

“The game of life is inherently dangerous. Whatever we choose to do — whether it’s crossing the street, driving to work, taking an airplane, skydiving, there’s inherent risks all around us. The goal as a doctor is to balance those risks with enjoyment of life and for me this is a risk that is calculated and that I’m willing to take for the passion of the sport. And to be frank, I’m not going to be a boxer for 10-15 years and take punishment. If I do this, it will be for the next few years as a really strong passion of mine and to see how far I can go. So, this is a risk that I’ve calculated well for my family and friends.” 

#          #          #

ABOUT PAUL VS. SILVA

International superstar and serial risk-taker Jake “The Problem Child” Paul will face the biggest challenge of his career when he takes on UFC legend and accomplished boxer Anderson “The Spider” Silva in an eight-round bout at a catchweight of 187 pounds on Saturday, October 29 in a Most Valuable Promotions event live on SHOWTIME PPV (9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT) from Desert Diamond Arena, just outside of Phoenix, Ariz. In undercard action, teenage sensation Ashton Sylve will put his knockout streak on the line against Braulio Rodriguez in an eight-round lightweight bout contested at 133 pounds. Chris Avila, a disciple of UFC superstar Nate Diaz, will square off against “Doctor Mike” Varshavski, a board-certified family physician and social media influencer, in a four-round cruiserweight bout contracted at 185 pounds. 

For more information visit www.SHO.com/sports, follow #PaulSilva, follow on Twitter via @JakePaul, @ShowtimeBoxing and @MostVpromotions, on Instagram via @JakePaul, @ShowtimeBoxing and @MostValuablePromotions or become a fan on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/ShowtimeBoxing.