Love him or hate him, there’s no denying that Jake Paul is one of the biggest — if not the biggest — stars in boxing.
Whether that says more about Paul or the state of the sport is a debate for another day. But what’s becoming increasingly clear is that it’s only a matter of time until the former YouTube and Disney Channel star is fighting for championship gold.
That’s something that’s now a legitimate possibility, as Paul finds himself ranked for the first time in his boxing career. The World Boxing Association ranked the Westlake, Ohio, native 14th in its cruiserweight rankings following his victory over former middleweight champion Julio César Chávez Jr. (54-7-1) on Saturday.
As such, Paul is now eligible to face current WBA cruiserweight super champion Gilberto “Zurdo” Ramirez (47-1) for his title. Ramirez successfully defended his WBA and WBO titles with a decision win over Yuniel Dorticos (27-3) in the co-main event of Saturday’s card in Anaheim, California, which also saw Paul defeat Chávez Jr. via unanimous decision.
With the victory, Paul improved his professional boxing record to 12-1, with seven of his victories coming by way of knockout. “The Problem Child’s” resume includes an eclectic mix of opponents, including former NBA star Nate Robinson, ex-MMA fighters such as Ben Askren, Tyron Woodley, Anderson Silva and Nate Diaz and, of course, a 58-year-old Mike Tyson.
To this point, there hasn’t been any official indication that a Paul vs. Ramirez fight is in the works, although it doesn’t seem like a coincidence that the two faced off backstage following Saturday night’s show. Ramirez was also recently verbally challenged by IBF and The Ring cruiserweight champion Jai Opetaia (28-0) for what would mark a massive title unification match.
But from a marketing standpoint, few matchups would rival the prospect of Paul fighting for a world title. And while a fight with Ramirez would represent a significant leap in competition, the 28-year-old has already publicly signaled he’s eyeing the opportunity.
“I’ve worked hard to get here but there is nothing to celebrate,” Paul posted to X after his ranking was revealed on Tuesday. “Long road ahead and I’m more committed to it every single day.
“I may veer off the path now and again, but being a world champion is my desired ultimate destination.”
About Ben Axelrod
Ben Axelrod is a veteran of the sports media landscape, having most recently worked for NBC's Cleveland affiliate, WKYC. Prior to his time in Cleveland, he covered Ohio State football and the Big Ten for outlets including Cox Media Group, Bleacher Report, Scout and Rivals.