FORMER World’s Strongest Man Eddie Hall is open to fighting Jake Paul in the boxing ring.
Hall reached the top of strongman competition in 2017 but has shifted his career to combat in recent years.
He lost his boxing debut to rival Hafthor Bjornsson in 2022 but has won his first two MMA bouts – knocking out Mariusz Pudzianowski last April.
Paul meanwhile has crossed over from social media star to boxer – amassing a 12-2 record since his 2020 debut.
And Hall – who weighed in over 23 STONE for his last fight – is ready to face Paul despite being an admirer of the American’s career.
He told podcaster Rob Moore: “Yeah, of course. Good payday. I’d fight him in boxing, yeah.
“I think would be a tough little bout actually. People play him down and people love to hate on Jake Paul but I actually quite like the kid.
“Some of the fights he’s taken, people say he only fights old men and whatever else, minus the Mike Tyson fight, but all the others legitimately good fighters.
“Good scrappers and he went in and held his own. Even Tommy Fury. Tommy Fury is a decent level boxer and he lost to Tommy but not by much.
“It wasn’t like a beatdown. It was a good scrap. So fair preps to Jake Paul and no doubt he’s improved a lot since then as well.”
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Hall, 34, knocked out former strongman and 17-10 MMA fighter Pudzianowski, 48, in 30 seconds of their bout in Poland.
And he is set to have at least one more fight in the MMA cage.
Paul, 28, meanwhile was knocked out in December in six rounds by Anthony Joshua, 36, suffering a broken jaw.
He was forced to have surgery and has been suspended indefinitely until he is cleared by a physician.
Paul moved up to heavyweight for the bout, weighing 216.4lbs (15st 6lb), which is still a huge EIGHT STONE lighter than Hall.
Over 33 MILLION watched AJ’s win on Netflix – with Hall praising Paul’s impact on the sport – which has seen him earn over £200MILLION.
Hall said: “What people don’t quite realise is he’s making more money than any of the pro boxers, probably put together.
“It is mad, but I think he deserves it because of how much balls he’s put on the line.
“For a man that’s literally laid his b******s out for the whole world to see. Win, draw, lose he’s gone in there.
“I think you should get paid for that and he’s created that environment for himself, he’s set that up, he’s set up those platforms, he’s got it on Netflix. He’s done that.”
