Muhammad Ali’s Grandson Nico Ali Walsh Turns Down Jake Paul Fight: ‘I’m Not Part of That Circus’

Nico Ali Walsh is not interested in a boxing fight with YouTuber and current boxer Jake Paul.

The 23-year-old grandson of Muhammad Ali is an interesting story. Nico Ali Walsh currently has an 11-1 record in boxing, returning to the ring this weekend in New York. There, the middleweight prospect avenged his only loss to Sona Akale via unanimous decision. After the victory, Ali Walsh revealed that he had been offered a fight with Jake Paul.

“The Problem Child” currently has two boxing fights scheduled. On July 20, Jake Paul will face Mike Perry in the main event of a DAZN pay-per-view. In November, the YouTuber-turned-boxer will face the legendary Mike Tyson on Netflix. “Iron Mike” was supposed to face Paul this summer but was forced to withdraw due to health issues.

However, while Jake Paul was keen to add Nico Ali Walsh to his list of opponents this year, the latter is not interested. Speaking after his win on Saturday, the 23-year-old revealed he had turned down a million-dollar offer from Most Valuable Promotions for the fight. The middleweight prospect explained that he was fighting for a legacy, not a payday.

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.@NicoAliWalsh I just called out Teofimo Lopez and Jake Paul photo:twitter.com/2L6R3W7Tim

— Top Rank Boxing (@trboxing) June 30, 2024

Nico Ali Walsh Explains His Decision to Turn Down Boxing Fight with Jake Paul

“Teofimo Lopez said in an interview a few weeks ago before this fight that he didn’t respect my family. He said I was only in boxing because I was desperate for money and fame.” Nico Ali Walsh stated in a post-fight interview. “I thought it was really unfair that someone I once admired would say that. But that’s the way it is. I chose the path of boxing, I chose the path of legacy.”

He continued, “I could be a millionaire right now if I wanted to. Before this fight, I turned down a multi-million dollar contract from Most Valuable Promotions to fight Jake Paul. Tonight I’m fighting a real fighter. I’m not part of this circus boxing league, this is the real boxing league and that’s what I’m going to do.”

Following Nico Ali Walsh’s post-fight interview, Jake Paul took to social media to slam the middleweight contender, calling him a “cheater.” In response, the 23-year-old joked that he was going to fight George Foreman instead. It’s safe to say the two won’t be sharing a boxing ring anytime soon.

What do you think of this boxing news? Do you want to see Jake Paul vs. Nico Ali Walsh?