UFC star Alex Pereira shuts down boxing fight with Jake Paul: ‘He knows I just can’t leave’

UFC light heavyweight champion, Alex Pereira has shut the door on a professional boxing match with the polarizing, Jake Paul — claiming the Ohio puncher is only calling him out because he can’t escape his contractual obligations with the Dana White-led promotion.

Pereira, a former undisputed middleweight champion and the current light heavyweight kingpin, defended the 205lbs crown for the third time this year alone earlier this month.

Headlining UFC 307 in Utah, former two-weight champion, Pereira landed a bloody fourth round knockout win over surging challenger, Khalil Rountree at the Delta Center in a back-and-forth showdown, adding to wins over both Jiri Prochazka and Jamahal Hill — both by stoppage this year to boot.

And as for Paul, the social media influencer improved to 10-1 as a professional over the summer in his short-notice matchup with BKFC star, Mike Perry, finishing the Octagon alum with an eventual sixth round knockout win.

Alex Pereira lays out by Jake Paul fight won’t happen anytime soon

And just weeks out from a rescheduled pairing with former world heavyweight boxing champion, Mike Tyson in Texas, Paul’s request for a boxing match with Pereira has been brushed aside by the Brazilian, citing his contractual obligations with the UFC.

“I’m going to be honest, of course, boxing interests me,” Alex Pereira said said of a future boxing match with Jake Paul during an interview with Ariel Helwani for Uncrowned. “But he knows that I’m under contract with the UFC, and I can’t just leave. I think that’s why he calls [me out] and says all of that.”

“If the UFC were a league that allowed everyone to fight everywhere, he wouldn’t be saying that,” Alex Pereira added.