Oleksandr Usyk could be serious about moving away from boxing to fight Jake Paul in a mixed martial arts bout

Taking to X, Usyk wrote: "Good plan, @jakepaul. But I'm not here for 5th place - only first.

"Soon, I'll close the book on boxing, and after that, I'll be waiting for you in the cage.

"Let's see if you've got the balls or just a hunger for hype."

Most Valuable Promotions co-founder Nakisa Bidarian revealed Paul's team had been in conversations with Usyk about a potential MMA fight.

Speaking with Sky Sports, he said: "We've had a couple of conversations, all very positive, and it just depends on how the timing lines up. I think the opportunity is there.

"Jake is crazy enough to do it for sure, Usyk's side seem very interested in it. So it's just about lining up the timing and I think eventually it's something that will happen.

"Paul vs Usyk in MMA, that's going to be a cross-cultural moment that the world will pay attention to. So we're always interested in those opportunities."

In July, Usyk defeated Daniel Dubois, 28, to retain his undisputed heavyweight title, and The Cat is now set to next fight the victor of Joseph Parker, 30, vs Fabio Wardley, 30 - which will take place in London's O2 Arena on 25 October.

Parker recently said he wanted to "show something different" to Usyk's previous victims, including Dubois, Anthony Joshua, 35, and Tyson Fury, 37.

He said: "If that opportunity came I feel like I can show something different. Experience, skill, belief, power, speed, movement, I feel like I'm getting better and better as a fighter even though now I'm 12 years in the game.

"I know what I can do. I back myself and believe in what I can do. But that'll be there once I do this fight."