Muhammad Ali’s grandson vs. Jake Paul in blockbuster boxing? Nico Ali Walsh says no. The grandson of “The Greatest” said he declined the opportunity and a million-dollar contract from MVP Promotions. With Paul as co-founder, he could bank millions in payout. However, Ali Walsh says he’d rather gauge away from the ‘freak show’ culture of crossover boxing.

Nico Ali Walsh keeps a close eye on the other avenues of combat sports as well. But that’s how far he will go without tarnishing Muhammad Ali’s legacy with influencer boxing. Case in point, he got his swagger back from crowd booing and went on to defeat Sona Akale by unanimous decision in their six-round middleweight bout. At the in-ring interview, he took a shot at Paul.

I’m not a part of that circus league of boxing...He [Teofimo Lopez] disrespects my family saying I’m only in boxing because I’m desperate for money and fame..I just want everyone to know that I chose the path of boxing...

Nico Ali Walsh in post-fight in-ring interview at the Teofimo Lopez vs. Steve Claggett Event

‘The Problem Child’ isn’t always all that problematic. Paul is intrepid and enthusiastic about crossover bouts; to that end, he is willing to fight anybody. More to it, he finds missteps and slackness quite amiss in any combat sport.

Even consensus heavyweight legend Mike Tyson lauds him for not ducking anybody and arranging for top-bill matchups. Tyson fights Jake Paul in a pro-sanction boxing bout at the AT&T Stadium. Ali Walsh takes issue elsewhere.

Before this fight I denied a multimillion-dollar contract from MVP Promotions to fight Jake Paul and I’m fighting a real fighter tonight. So, I’m not part of that circus league of boxing. This is the real league of boxing...

Nico Ali Walsh further said (H/T: Josh Peter of USA TODAY Sports (@usatodaysports) / X)

The 23-year-old’s comments followed his own response to WBO lightweight champion Teofimo Lopez. He outdid Steve Claggett in a unanimous decision victory in the main event. Lopez had blamed Ali Walsh for being a grub-hunting boxer. Accordingly, Ali Walsh alluded to Paul’s offer, saying he could have made millions. Instead, he opts for a linear legacy as the boxer he is, and Paul does not like this one bit.

Jake Paul gives his thoughts on Nico Ali Walsh’s claims

Middleweight contender Nico Ali Walsh took part in the televised card opener. The boxer was out to avenge his only pro defeat in a rematch against Sona Akale, which he did with much rigor. He battled through the sixth and final round with a dislocated shoulder yet came out on top. In the aftermath, he took shots at Teofimo Lopez and Jake Paul.

His viral hot claims at James L. Knight Center in Downtown Miami were less about Jake Paul and more about proving himself a straight-up lineal prodigy. To that end, he took shots at Paul and MVP Promotions to get to his point. MVP Promotions did not heed USA TODAY Sports’ request for a comment. Consequently, Paul had some thoughts of his own on that.

Paul concurrently sees that the claims by Ali Walsh (10-1, with 5 KOs) are like digging his own hole. In this fractured four-belt era, commission payouts matter. Hence, a little profit somewhere does not hurt. With influencer and crossover boxing being all the rage, even some prime staples are not against the money factor.

Subsequently, by his admission, Ali Walsh keeps ducking Paul. The latter says this is just entitled behavior because he has the ‘Muhammad Ali’ last name. Ali Walsh can bring in that Cassius Clay rage wherever he chooses to fight; for now, though, crossovers are a strict no-no.