Dana White acknowledges Jake Paul's tough fight against Anthony Joshua

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US boxer and influencer Jake Paul gets hit by British boxer Anthony Joshua (R) in a non-title heavyweight bout at the Kaseya Center in Miami, Florida on December 19, 2025. (Photo by Giorgio VIERA / AFP via Getty Images) | AFP via Getty Images Even Dana White was impressed by Jake Paul putting his money where his mouth is and fighting Anthony Joshua. In December, Jake Paul answered his haters by finally fighting a legitimate boxer in the prime of his career, and he did so in grand fashion, taking on former unified heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua. The YouTuber-turned-boxer managed to survive five rounds with “AJ” before getting brutally knocked out in the sixth, breaking his jaw in multiple places. But while many of Paul’s haters enjoyed seeing “The Problem Child” get his clock cleaned, one of his biggest haters, Dana White, grudgingly admits he was impressed that Paul actually went through with it. “I literally didn’t think that was going to happen,” White said on the Plan Bri Uncut show. “And I said — when you go in there and box a guy like AJ, this isn’t a joke. This isn’t a game. That could kill him. And look, he literally broke his face. … It was a ballsy move getting in there with Anthony Joshua.” That’s a big statement coming from White, who has feuded with Paul since almost the inception of his boxing career and was highly critical of the bout both before and after. But even with Paul earning some modicum of respect from White for stepping in the ring with Joshua, that only goes so far, and White says he has no interest in possibly working with Paul in Zuffa Boxing. “No. That’s not what I do,” White said when asked about bringing Paul in. “There’s obviously a market for that, but that’s not what I do. I put the best fighters in the world against each other. From the minute that they get into the sport, all the way up to world champion, the best fight the best. There’s always going to be a place for the Paul brother type fights, but that’s not what I do. “The best. I’m looking for the best fighters in the world.” Paul is still recovering from his broken jaw, with no timetable set for his next bout. However, he has more than enough to keep him busy for the moment as his promotion, Most Valuable Promotions, recently announced a merger with the PFL. TOP STORIES Legend. 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This is what we came for. pic.twitter.com/Tk7s3zLxd6 — Gregory “Robocop” Rodrigues (@gregory_mma) August 24, 2026 Return. 👑⛰️ Islam Makhachev returns home to Dagestan one week after claiming the longest win streak in UFC history pic.twitter.com/SKy1OfL9V1 — Home of Fight (@Home_of_Fight) August 24, 2026 That would be neat. View this post on Instagram Scott Coker. Building a promotion starts with finding the right fighters. I’ve been on the road with the team scouting talent across Southern California, France and Japan, meeting fighters, coaches and teams as we build what comes next. Three stops down. A lot more to come. Stay tuned… pic.twitter.com/4LTeGsl1ua — Scott Coker (@ScottCoker) August 24, 2026 That is a terrible doctor. What the literal doctor ordered if you are in an Irish hospital and that is a fact! The Worlds Creamiest Stout, @ForgedStout! pic.twitter.com/5rnAa1KiXr — Conor McGregor (@TheNotoriousMMA) August 24, 2026 Josh Thomson is correct. I’m not someone who like to go to chain restaurants but Texas Road House Bread is 🔥 🔥 🔥 I’m not a big on eating bread either but man… you can’t just have one roll. Haha pic.twitter.com/Z9bzDJ4HtR — Josh Thomson (@THEREALPUNK) August 24, 2026 Though scenes. Gregory Rodrigues! The Tapology UFC Rankings have been updated. View the new rankings (https://t.co/yoVnN45rq9), and read the next post for highlights. pic.twitter.com/Y9Zzj71S9b — Tapology (@tapology) August 24, 2026 That looks good. No better way to start my 3-day water fast than after a feast like this. 🙏 A mix of Moroccan & Saudi dishes.🇲🇦🇸🇦 pic.twitter.com/Ak0ExywhnB — Georges St-Pierre (@GeorgesStPierre) August 24, 2026 FEED ME MORE Guesses? FINAL THOUGHTS Dana White is only interested in the best fighting the best. This weekend, Levi Rodrigues — 5-1, 1 NC, who popped for nandrolone on Contender Series and then lost his debut — is fighting 3-1 fighter Ce Liu. 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