Top Rank/ IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
Muhammad Ali’s grandson, Nico Ali Walsh, won’t be fighting Jake Paul anytime soon.
Back in 2024, Walsh revealed that he had turned down a lucrative $3 million offer to fight Paul.
Via Sky Sports
“I believe it was upwards of $3m,” he suggested. “Of course, that would be money that I’ve never made in my career. That would be money that I’ve never even seen before. But is everything really money? That’s how I was raised.”
“You’ve got to ask yourself how much does your pride cost? How much are you willing to sell out for? Because that’s exactly how it is, at least in my book. Anyone else can do it. But for me, I’m an Ali, I hold my name in such higher weight, I don’t believe I should be playing in the mud with the likes of Jake Paul.”
This week, Walsh sat down with Ring Magazine and revealed he will not fight Paul because he wants to fight for championships, and not just for money.
“I haven’t proven myself in my career yet, I haven’t gotten to that World Championship level that I want to be at yet, so me circumenventing that grind, that roadmap to championship level, just to fight Jake Paul would be really doing myself an injustice.”
“I don’t think that fight happens; I’m really focused on building my career and building myself into the ranks in boxing.”
Nico Ali Walsh outlines to @VersaceBoxing his stance on a clash with Jake Paul 👀
The latest episode of Mr. Verzace Podcast is LIVE NOW🎙️
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📺 YouTube: https://t.co/xtsQVNzD6C pic.twitter.com/RDp8F0FzVH— Ring Magazine (@ringmagazine) August 4, 2026
Walsh has suffered a pair of defeats in his career, but he’s only 26-years-old, and has plenty of time to rise up the ranks.