Former UFC star Tyson Pedro has responded to sensational claims from ex-NRL star Curtis Scott and revealed why he would like to get revenge on YouTuber-turned-boxer Jake Paul.
Pedro, 33, will be back in the ring on Wednesday night when he takes on undefeated (15-0) Pakistani Taimoor Khan on Stan’s Nowhere To Run event.
It will be the Penrith star’s first professional boxing fight – and the lead-up to the blockbuster event hasn’t been without controversy.
Former NRL player Curtis Scott, who was convicted of domestic violence offences in 2022, claimed he had dropped the MMA star in sparring, with Pedro’s team laughing off the eye-opening accusation.
‘I have no idea what he’s (Curtis) been talking about to be honest,’ Pedro told Daily Mail Australia.
‘I’ve got a guy in front of me. I’m always here. I’ll fight anyone, doesn’t matter.
Former UFC star Tyson Pedro says he’s got no idea what Curtis Scott has been talking about after the NRL bad boy made a startling claim about their sparring
Scott (pictured) claims he dropped Pedro in a gym session – despite having vastly less experience in the fight game
‘We put him on my show for my last fight, but we were planning on getting him for sparring for this fight, but didn’t hear back from him.
‘I guess the tables turned quick.’
Pedro has teamed up with Aussie legend Jeff Fenech for Wednesday’s bout and says training with the boxing icon has been incredibly valuable.
‘It’s always good to be around champions and see what the secret sauce is,’ Pedro said.
‘It’s his mentality and just some of the words he tells me sometimes for motivation.
‘It’s small details. He’s improved my inside fighting and he’s got me fighting a bit lower. Small details that he’s able to pick up straight away.’
Pedro’s opponent has an aggressive style with 13 knockouts to his name, but the Aussie says he’s up to the challenge.
‘We’ve watched tape on him, but you never know what they’re going to bring,’ says Pedro.
Pedro takes on undefeated (15-0) Pakistani Taimoor Khan on Stan’s Nowhere To Run event
Pedro joked that he’d like to take on Jake Paul to get one back for the Tysons (Paul pictured during his bout with Mike Tyson)
Pedro says a match against the American megastar would be good after he’s claimed a few more scalps in his new sport
‘He walks forward – but that could all change after he gets punched in the face.’
It’s unclear who Pedro will target after he takes on Khan – but he’s not ruling out a showdown with US megastar Jake Paul after a few more fights.
‘I would love Jake Paul,’ laughed Pedro. ‘I’ve gotta get it back for the Tysons!
‘It wouldn’t be a smart fight for him at the moment, moneywise, right? There’s not enough attention on me.
‘So, I have to win this fight, get some more people behind me and entice him into something.
‘From the outside looking in, he’s all about the money. I’m more about fighting the best people in the world.
‘If it works out, hopefully we can look at fighting him. I’d love to.’
The Aussie is hoping for an early night on Wednesday so he can get home to see his daughter (pictured with Pedro and his wife Rosie)
Pedro, who is a BSc Athlete Ambassador, says he’s not planning on a long fight against Khan on Wednesday.
When asked for a prediction, he answered: ‘I really want to get out of there early and go home and see my daughter.’
How to watch Pedro’s boxing debut
The event will be available ad-free, live and on demand for all Stan Sport subscribers from 7pm AEDT.
Nowhere to Run can also be seen on the 9Go streaming service on delay.