Jake Paul next fight: Social media star to face former UFC champion Anderson Silva in October on Showtime PPV

Jake Paul’s return to the ring is officially set, and while he’s set to fight yet another legend from the world of mixed martial arts, this time, the fighter has also proven himself a capable boxer. Paul will face one of the greatest fighters of all time when he battles Anderson Silva in a Showtime pay-per-view main event on Oct. 29 from Phoenix, Arizona, the promotion announced on Tuesday.

The bout set to be contested at a limit of 187 pounds and a maximum of eight rounds.

After starting his career with a string of wins over fellow social media stars, NBA players and mixed martial artists, talks have intensified for Paul (5-0, 4 KO) to face a “real” boxer. Multiple attempts were made for Paul to fight Tommy Fury (8-0, 4 KO), brother of WBC heavyweight champion Tyson Fury, with the first falling apart after Fury suffered an injury in camp and the second when Fury was denied entry into the country as part of he and his brother’s involvement with alleged crime boss Daniel Kinahan.

Hasim Rahman Jr. (12-1, 6 KO) was then slotted in as the replacement opponent for Fury on Aug. 6. Despite Rahman fighting as a heavyweight, the fight was agreed to at cruiserweight with rehydration limits in place. That was eventually bumped to 205 pounds and then Rahman claimed he couldn’t make the weight and Paul’s team wouldn’t agree to raise the weight limit any higher, resulting in yet another cancellation.

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“Anderson ‘The Spider’ Silva is the most versatile fighter the world has ever seen,” Paul said in a press release. “Just a year ago he outclassed boxing champion Julio Cesar Chavez Jr., and showed the world why he is often referred to as the greatest fighter of all time. Every expert,…