9:45 AM PT -- Anderson Silva, through a rep, provided us with a statement addressing the knockout controversy.
"After seeing the reports and concern for me, I'd like to clarify two important things. One, I was NEVER knocked out in sparring. I misspoke in that interview as I sometimes do when interviewing in English and exaggerated the normal back-and-forth action that occurs in sparring."
"Second, this sparring session I referenced was in early September. The interview with MMA Weekly was done on Sept. 13 and, for some reason, just released this week. So, it wasn't recent."
"More importantly, my training camp has been great. I am fit and ready to fight and the only knockout people should be worried about is the one I'm about to deliver to Jake Paul on Saturday night.”
8:54 AM PT -- Sources close to Anderson Silva tell us the boxer intended to use the word "knockdown," but inadvertently said "knockout." They're adamant Silva was never knocked out during the training session.
We're also told the interview was conducted on September 13.
Jake Paul's bad luck could strike once again -- his fight against Anderson Silva might be in trouble ... after the former UFC champ claimed he was knocked out twice during his last sparring session.
47-year-old Spider made the shocking comments in a video posted to MMA Weekly on Tuesday ... saying his workouts leading up to Saturday's fight in Phoenix were so grueling, he was KO'd twice.
"I'm training hard for the win," Silva told Jim Grieshaber. "I'm training with the good boxers, high-level, and five guys come to help me. "And the last sparring with [my partner], he knocked me out two times, and when I finish my training, I talked to my coach and even said, 'Coach, let me tell you something, why the guys knock me out two times?' And the coach said, 'You need to prepare for war, and you prepare for war.'"
Silva's statement caught the attention of the Arizona Department of Gaming -- the organization that oversees professional bouts in the state -- which told MMA Fighting it is "looking into the matter."
Here's the issue -- due to Silva's age, he must undergo rigorous testing in order to be cleared to fight ... which includes disclosing his most recent knockouts and the amount of time he was unconscious.
Silva's coach, Luiz Carlos Dorea, adamantly denied the fighter's claims ... saying he is 100% ready for the fight.
No update has been provided so far ... but Paul is clearly expecting to scrap on Saturday -- tweeting out, "3 days" as he continues to count down to the big event.
If Silva's revelation ruins the fight, it'll be the third time Paul has been left without an opponent ... after Tommy Fury and Hasim Rahman Jr. were forced to back out.
Here's hoping it doesn't come to that.
Originally Published -- 8:17 AM PT