Jake Paul makes bold Ryan Garcia vs. Ilia Topuria prediction amid heated online feud

Jake Paul inserted himself into the growing online feud between Ryan Garcia and UFC lightweight champion Ilia Topuria by predicting a quick knockout if the two ever met in a boxing ring.

The crossover discussion intensified after Topuria publicly suggested that a boxing match against Garcia would be comfortable for him due to what he viewed as technical flaws in the boxer’s style. Garcia quickly fired back and dismissed Topuria as another MMA fighter attempting to cash in through boxing without understanding the gap between elite mixed martial arts striking and professional boxing.

Paul later sided firmly with Garcia and claimed the boxer would stop Topuria within one or two rounds under boxing rules. He took to X and wrote:

“Ryan would sleep topperia [Topuria] in 1-2 rounds.”

Check out Jake Paul‘s X post below:

The feud between Garcia and Topuria has steadily escalated over recent months as the undefeated UFC star continues expressing interest in eventually testing himself in professional boxing. Topuria’s confidence largely comes from his reputation as one of the cleanest pure boxers currently competing inside the UFC.

The lightweight champion built enormous momentum after consecutive knockout victories over Alexander Volkanovski, Max Holloway, and Charles Oliveira. Those performances elevated him into mainstream superstardom and fueled ongoing crossover speculation involving major boxing names.

Jake Paul previously mocked Ilia Topuria over boxing ambitions

Jake Paul’s latest comments continue a longer history of tension between himself and Ilia Topuria.

Earlier this year, both fighters argued publicly after Topuria called Paul a bad boxer during a livestream appearance. Paul later challenged Topuria to spar and claimed MMA fighters consistently overestimate how well their striking translates into professional boxing.

The YouTuber-turned-boxer also mocked Topuria’s size and suggested the UFC champion would struggle physically against legitimate boxers competing at higher weight classes. Addressing the matchup again in a recent interview with Complex News, Paul said:

“I’ve proven it time and time again with the best strikers from MMA and just beat them pretty easily at earlier points in my career. So when they say they can beat me in boxing or whatever they’re saying is a joke to me. And I finally just want someone to get in there with me.”

He added:

“I tried to send a jet to Paddy Pimblett to spar, and I was going to give him $1 million, and then it’s just radio silence. And I’m guessing it will be the same with Topuria. You know, they have to publicly, when they’re on the live stream, say, ‘I’ll do it right now! Let’s do it!’ And then when it goes to happen, it just doesn’t come to fruition. We will see.”