- Influencer-boxer Jake Paul said recently that he'd like to "erase" Muhammad Ali's grandsons.
- Nico Ali Walsh and Biaggio Ali Walsh compete in boxing and MMA, respectively.
Muhammad Ali's descendants gave classy responses when told that Jake Paul wants to beat them up.
The social media celebrity and novice boxer Paul, an effective cruiserweight weighing approximately 190 pounds, should pick on somebody his own size, two of Ali's grandsons — Nico Ali Walsh and Biaggio Ali Walsh — told reporters Friday.
Nico is a prospect boxer who competes under the Top Rank banner and is developing name value based on his lineage to 'The Greatest,' combined with his knockout highlight reel in boxing.
Biaggio, meanwhile, is an amateur MMA boxer who has fought twice for the Professional Fighters League (PFL).
He scored the fourth win of his fledgling career, a first-round knockout over Isaiah Figueroa, during Friday's PFL MMA show inside the Virgin Hotels in Las Vegas.
Though ESPN carried the broadcast of the PFL MMA event, Paul said during a livestream watch party on fellow creator Wade Plemins' YouTube channel that he'd relish fighting either Nico or Biaggio.
"Just erase them all," said Paul, who signed a deal to compete with PFL earlier this year. "I'm down."
During post-event huddles, reporters asked the siblings for a response to Paul's comments that he'd like to fight them.
"I've been asked that a few times," said Nico, who was named the World Boxing Council's Prospect of the Year in 2022 after returning four wins from four fights with three knockouts.
Nico Ali Walsh doesn't want to get categorized as a Jake Paul-type boxer
"For me personally, right now, that's not something I'd be interested in now," he added. "I want to make a career for myself. I want to continue my grandfather's legacy in boxing and carve my own path as well."
Nico said that once you take a fight against a person in that category — a YouTube boxer — you risk getting "categorized as that type of fighter" yourself.
"I have a hard time as it is proving myself as a real boxer," he said, "and I haven't fought, you know, a YouTuber or anything like that. I want to stick with fighting the boxers."
Biaggio seemed bemused at the thought — not because of his brother Nico's reasons, but the weight differential. Biaggio is a 155-pound lightweight in MMA, while Paul has competed at limits 35 pounds heavier.
Biaggio Ali Walsh said Paul should fight someone his own size
"He's a lot bigger than me," said Biaggio.
"I don't know why he's trying to fight someone smaller than him. Fight somebody your own size."
Watch Nico and Biaggio's reactions right here:
—The Sportsnista (@TheSportsnista) April 8, 2023