Paul Teague Gonzalez Media TV interview on his boxing debut

In the Paul Teague Gonzalez Media TV interview, the MMA fighter told Jose G that his suspension had been lifted and he was returning from a planned retirement for a professional boxing debut against Connor Berry. The bout was a title fight at 185 pounds, the heaviest weight Teague had fought at. He also discussed the fighters represented by No Mercy Fight Management.

Why did Paul Teague come out of retirement after his fighting suspension?

Paul Teague returned because the suspension that had put his fighting future in doubt was lifted, opening the way for him to compete again. He said the issue involved his age and record in his home state. After previously discussing retirement with Gonzalez Media TV, he accepted a professional boxing title fight.

Teague said he had not known whether the board would lift the suspension. He believed there were older fighters with worse records who were still competing, a comparison he later brought before the board. During his time away from competition, he continued training and began managing other fighters.

Management changed how he evaluates offers. Teague said he has learned to turn down fights he considers unwise, while acknowledging that earlier in his career he accepted difficult opportunities. He cited chances to face an Olympic wrestler and a UFC veteran as the kind of challenges he was unwilling to pass up.

His return also fits a longer pattern of trying different combat sports. Alongside MMA and bare-knuckle boxing, Teague said he took a Power Slap opportunity when it presented itself. For this return, the available opportunity was a boxing match in which he could rely on his hands without kicking or grappling.

What did Paul Teague say about his pro boxing debut against Connor Berry?

Paul Teague said his professional boxing debut against Connor Berry was a title fight at 185 pounds, rather than the 155 pounds at which he had previously fought. He felt ready for the heavier bout and planned to return to 170 pounds afterward. The match followed an earlier attempt to arrange a kickboxing fight with Berry.

The proposed kickboxing match with Connor Berry

Teague said he tried to take a kickboxing match against Berry in June but could not because of his suspension. Berry later contacted him when his original opponent appeared uncertain to compete. Teague told Berry he would know more after going before the board on September 28; after the suspension was lifted, he contacted Berry and agreed to fight.

Though 185 pounds was his highest fighting weight, Teague said he felt good at it. He noted that Berry also generally fought at 155 or 170 pounds. Teague did not give a date for his planned return to 170 or identify a subsequent opponent.

Testing the hands his coach trusted

Teague described himself as more of a kicker and said he had long told his coach he was not fully comfortable with his hands. His coach repeatedly told him he underestimated them and pointed to Teague’s last bare-knuckle fight as evidence that he could punch effectively.

Boxing, Teague said, removes the alternatives he had in MMA: he cannot kick or grapple, and Berry cannot take him down. He felt more comfortable with his hands than he had in the past, while leaving the question of how they would perform in a professional boxing match to the fight itself.

How did Paul Teague balance training with his family and work?

Paul Teague said he had trained since his previous fight in January, though not as much as he once did. He was fitting that work around eight children, two jobs and two grandchildren. Despite those demands, he said Berry knew he intended to take the fight once he was cleared.

That preparation mattered to Teague because the boxing opportunity came after a stretch in which he could not compete. He did not describe a specific boxing camp or provide a timetable for the fight after Berry. When asked how quickly he wanted to compete again, he said he did not know.

For the immediate bout, Teague looked forward to letting his hands go. He said he had sometimes started landing strikes in MMA only for opponents to seek a takedown. Against Berry, he expected a different test: both fighters would have to settle the contest through boxing rather than switch to wrestling or grappling.

What did Paul Teague say about No Mercy Fight Management?

Paul Teague said No Mercy Fight Management was approaching two years in operation and represented about 36 professional and amateur fighters. Four other people helped him manage the team. He also discussed a group of amateurs booked to fight in Connecticut on Halloween, including two brothers on the same card.

The Connecticut Halloween card

Teague said five amateurs from the management team were set to fight in Connecticut on Halloween. He described debuting fighters among the group and was particularly interested in seeing a young fighter compete alongside his brother. The younger fighter had recently turned 18, Teague said, after earlier efforts to arrange a kickboxing match fell through when opponents dropped out.

Working on the management side has also affected Teague’s decisions as a fighter. He said he now understands the value of refusing unsuitable offers and of finding promoters willing to arrange fair opportunities. Some proposed fights still failed to happen because an opponent withdrew, even when a promoter tried to put a match together.

Teague remains active with fighters at his gym as well. He said three had recently fought in Mississippi and that a new gym was being built. With young fighters coming through, his return to competition was taking place alongside his work helping others find fights.

How did Paul Teague convince the board to lift his suspension?

Paul Teague said he brought the board a portfolio showing fighters his age with worse records who were still competing. He also told members that he had continued training during his suspension and had learned from managing fighters. The board lifted the suspension, allowing him to accept the boxing match with Connor Berry.

His case to the board

Teague said the suspension had lasted two years. His portfolio was meant to challenge the idea that his age and record should prevent him from fighting when comparable athletes remained active. He also explained how management had made him more selective about the bouts he accepts.

To illustrate his approach, Teague discussed taking fights on short notice when a promoter needed an opponent. He recalled one proposed match that changed when an opponent dropped out; a replacement took it on two days’ notice, and the contest became a combat jiu-jitsu match that Teague said he won by submission.

Dr. Lucas and the short-notice fights

Teague said Dr. Lucas knew him across his 12 years of fighting and knew his willingness to step in at short notice. He also told the board that, even when facing an Olympic wrestler, his instinct had been to test himself against that opponent’s wrestling.

Explaining the attitude he wanted the board to understand, Teague put it plainly:

I'm here to bang. I'm here to fight

With his suspension lifted, Teague said his coach was glad he was back. He was preparing for a boxing title fight while continuing his management work and supporting fighters from his gym.

Who is Paul Teague?

Paul Teague is a professional MMA fighter, bare-knuckle boxer and Power Slap athlete from Jonesville, South Carolina. He has competed at lightweight, is a father of eight and works as a manager at No Mercy Management. Teague says he fights to show his children what they can pursue through persistence.