"For $20 million I'm fighting" - LaMelo Ball's brother LiAngelo Ball hilariously claims to take down Jake Paul in boxing match
Count LaMelo Ball's brother and former G League player LiAngelo Ball among those interested in taking a shot at popular YouTuber-turned-boxer Jake Paul. He claimed he could defeat the social media star, especially if he's compensated well for the fight.
LiAngelo shared this on Friday's episode of "The WAE Show," where the hosts discussed a recent match between Paul and boxing legend Mike Tyson, in which Tyson reportedly earned $20 million.
Asked if he was willing to take on Paul, LiAngelo Ball said he would if paid the same amount as "Iron Mike." However, he acknowledged that he would need time to train and that the fight should follow the same structure, with eight three-minute rounds.
He said:
"For 20 mil I'm fighting in a month."
Paul, 27, defeated 58-year-old Tyson by unanimous decision in their much-hyped eight-round clash on Nov. 15 in Arlington, Texas, which was streamed on Netflix. Tyson had a promising start, connecting on some solid hits but fizzled out as the fight progressed, ultimately leading to his loss.
The win was the fifth straight for Paul and 11th in 12 matches since he turned professional at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020.
Paul previously competed against former NBA player Nate Robinson and MMA stars Anderson Silva, Tyron Woodley and Ben Askren.
LiAngelo Ball says he is not yet done pursuing his basketball dreams
While he is interested in taking a crack at Jake Paul in a boxing match, LiAngelo Ball shared that basketball remains his preferred career path despite facing fewer opportunities recently.
Ball went undrafted in the 2018 NBA draft but participated in training camps with the Charlotte Hornets and Detroit Pistons. He spent a lot of time with the Hornets' G League affiliate, the Greensboro Swarm, where he last played in the 2022-23 season, averaging 5.7 points and 1.3 rebounds. Earlier this year, he played in Mexico with the Astros de Jalisco.
In an episode of "The WAE Show" last month, LiAngelo Ball shared his basketball plans, including trying his luck in the Big3 league founded by hip-hop icon Ice Cube.
He said (via Sports Illustrated):
"I'm still going... I'm not done... I like the Big3. I might just play in the Big3 because it's during the summer. I just like to hoop. That's it. That would be nice to hoop. I might get in the G League... Try to get pulled up the old fashion way."
Ball was a three-star recruit out of Chino Hills High School in California. He was supposed to play for the UCLA Bruins in college but off-court issues prevented him from doing so.