‘Uncle Chael’ is back – delivering insider takes from the world of combat sports. Over the years, former UFC title challenger and now a leading promoter, Chael Sonnen, has become one of MMA’s most outspoken voices. It wasn’t long before he turned his attention to boxing, weighing in on its biggest stories. Fans may recall his take on Olympic gold medalist Imane Khelif‘s participation, which gained considerable traction last year.

In the latest episode of his podcast, the MMA analyst shared an in-depth review of the back-and-forth involving Floyd Mayweather Jr. and Jake Paul and their potential matchup. Recent developments saw Mayweather sharing his thoughts about a fight with Jake Paul. It followed ‘The Problem Child’s contention that despite repeated callouts, the undefeated former champion, who fought his elder brother Logan Paul four years ago, had been ‘ducking’ him. Mayweather Jr. believes that given the weight difference, he can do an exhibition with Paul. And that’s exactly where Chael Sonnen takes issue.

Chael Sonnen: Challenging the Narrative

Let’s start from the beginning. In an exclusive with ‘US Weekly,” Floyd Mayweather Jr. said, “Well, we can do an exhibition. We know we can’t do a real fight because it’s not going to be sanctioned because of the weight difference. But we could do an exhibition. That’s easy work, super easy.” Later reviewing a clip that featured Mayweather discussing the subject with Jimmy Fallon, Jake Paul told his elder brother, “He wouldn’t sign, though he said I have to weigh 160; it’s not even physically possible.”

Sonnen took issue with this claim. Emphasizing Jake Paul’s massive draw as a boxing star, he pointed out that Logan Paul, who is equally popular, had already fought Mayweather. But that fight, as Sonnen put it, was a ‘non-fight.’

And here lies a problem. The term ‘exhibition’ diminishes the fight’s credibility. “To have those two fight and call it non-sanctioned, call the whole damn event non-sanctioned, and put non-sanctioned on the poster is exponentially more effective than saying the word exhibition,” Chael Sonnen argued.

According to him, the Logan Paul vs. Floyd Mayweather fight underperformed because the audience didn’t fully understand what they were watching. Confusingly marketed, it led to disappointing numbers. Reportedly, Logan Paul later claimed he wasn’t even paid for the fight. So it further indicates that the fight wasn’t a major business success.

Sonnen compared the situation to the Mayweather vs. McGregor fight. Another event, reportedly exaggerated in terms of financial success. He claimed that despite a push for a rematch, no one was willing to sign the deal. The implication? If the first fight had been as lucrative as it was claimed, securing a rematch wouldn’t have been an issue.

Floyd Mayweather Jr. Could Have a Sanctioned Fight – He Just Doesn’t Want To

So questioning Mayweather Jr.’s discretion, Chael Sonnen stressed, “But when Floyd comes out and he’s talking about, I would like to fight Logan. I apologize, Jake, this time, but it has to be under one condition, which is it has to be an exhibition, and Floyd then follows that up by saying, Because nobody would sanction it, first off, is not accurate information.” According to him, Mayweather’s reported claims that weight class restrictions prevent sanctioning stand false. There are 50 different state commissions in the U.S., and at least one would sanction the fight.

Mayweather has fought professionally his whole career under the Queensberry Rules and could do the same against Jake, argued Sonnen.

Later Sonnen expressed willingness to connect Mayweather with a legitimate commission to make the fight happen under real boxing rules. Mayweather’s statements about needing the fight to be an exhibition are misleading. The real reason this fight isn’t happening isn’t legal obstacles. It’s just Floyd Mayweather’s ability to sell fights has declined, according to the UFC veteran.

For someone whose entire life and legacy are built around boxing, this presents a significant challenge. Fans will have to wait and see how this situation unfolds, but if Sonnen’s take is correct, the fight may never materialize in the way Mayweather wants the public to believe.

What do you think of Chael Sonnen’s take on the Mayweather-Jake Paul saga? Let us know your thoughts!