CNN
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YouTuber-turned-boxer Jake Paul defeated legendary UFC champion Anderson Silva on points in front of a crowd of 14,000 at Desert Diamond Arena in Phoenix, Arizona on Saturday.
The fight went all eight rounds and Paul took the victory via unanimous decision, sealing victory in the final round by knocking down Silva.
It was the most significant win to date in the 25-year-old’s burgeoning boxing career, even though Silva, 47, is in the twilight of his own career and known for his UFC accomplishments rather than in boxing.
Nonetheless, Paul moves to a 6-0 record and has called UFC fighter Nate Diaz, as well as undisputed world super middleweight champion Canelo Alvarez, afterward for his upcoming bouts.
Prior to the fight, Paul had spoken of growing up as a Silva fan, watching the Brazilian dominate his sport.
“I feel like I’m living in a movie,” Paul said afterwards, according to Sky Sports. “You couldn’t have written that in a story.
“Just being in the ring with him, seeing his heart, his grit, his bravery, he’s the champion I looked up to. He’s such an inspiration.
It was far from an uneven fight as Paul landed 83 punches with Silva landing just four fewer at 79, according to ESPN Stats.
Paul, however, landed three times as many punches, negating any advantage Silva gained by landing more power shots.
“I’m a superhero, but sometimes my demi-human fails,” Silva said, according to ESPN.
