Oleksandr Usyk's ex-promoter delivers brutal verdict on potential Jake Paul fight

Oleksandr Usyk’s business partner and former promoter, Alex Krassyuk, has condemned a potential fight between the Ukrainian great and Jake Paul.

Krassyuk said that in this new world of crossover boxing, a fight with Paul is something that gets seriously discussed, but he appealed for it not to be in a boxing ring. 

Krassyuk told World Boxing News : “This fight is widely discussed now, but it can’t be a boxing match as it is a homicide."

Paul has become an unlikely name in boxing, transitioning from a young YouTube star to a professional boxer, ranked in the top 15 of the WBA cruiserweight rankings. 

He is coming off the two highest-profile wins of his career against a 58-year-old Mike Tyson and the former WBC middleweight champion  Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. 

• Read next |  Eddie Hearn snubs Anthony Joshua and Lennox Lewis as he names Britain's greatest boxer ever

Al Bello/Getty Images

Despite his progress, Krassyuk said that even if the fight were under MMA rules, Paul would stand an equally small chance of survival, but sees the financial gain from the fight as attractive enough for the undisputed heavyweight champion to consider.

He said: “Even a cage fight does not leave chances for the young YouTuber. But money talks. And this event can generate some serious numbers.” 

Usyk’s future has been uncertain since he made history and became a three-time undisputed champion , knocking out Daniel Dubois at Wembley on July 19 . 

The WBO have ordered negotiations between him and the interim champion, Joseph Parker, but Usyk has nothing left to prove, and Krassyuk said he will encourage his friend to retire. 

Krassyuk concluded: “I don’t see him fighting anymore, at least in boxing. He has proved it all, there’s nothing more to gain.

“For sure, there’re going to be some dossers around pushing him to the ring again.

“As a friend, I will do my best to convince him to retire.”

Watch Itauma vs Whyte live on DAZN

You can watch Moses Itauma vs Dillian Whyte live on DAZN on August 16. More information is available  here .