Jake Paul has revealed he is in discussions to potentially face two current cruiserweight world champions, having also shared his ranking of the division`s titleholders.
Paul, who transitioned from YouTube to professional boxing in 2020, is targeting a shot at a 200lb title despite having only competed in 12 professional bouts.
Gilberto “Zurdo” Ramirez, the current WBA and WBO champion, is scheduled to fight on the undercard of Paul`s June 28 event against former middleweight world champ Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. The WBC champion, Badou Jack, is also a potential opponent Paul is considering.
Many consider Australia`s Jai Opetaia, the IBF titleholder and a highly-regarded fighter, to be the top cruiserweight, a view Paul shares.
According to Paul, “Zurdo and Jai are probably tied for No1 and I would say Badou is No2. But all are formidable opponents, and we`re in conversations with both Zurdo and Badou regarding potential fights next year.”
On the same June 28 card where Paul fights Chavez Jr., the 33-year-old Ramirez will face 39-year-old Yuniel Dorticos. Promoter Oscar de la Hoya has suggested a future fight between Paul and Ramirez could happen. Badou Jack, 41, has indicated he`s open to defending his WBC title against Paul, leading to initial discussions. However, the 29-year-old Opetaia has shown no interest in fighting Paul, focusing instead on establishing his legacy and potentially moving to the heavyweight division.
When asked why Opetaia wasn`t on his list of potential title opponents alongside Ramirez and Jack, Paul explained that many fighters want to face him, including big names like Canelo Alvarez, Gervonta Davis, Anthony Joshua, Tommy Fury, and KSI. He stated, “It`s just about what makes sense and we`ll see when the negotiations come but I would for sure entertain a fight with him [Opetaia].”
For his upcoming fight against Chavez Jr., Paul is returning to the cruiserweight limit of 200lbs (14st 4lb) after gaining two stone to compete at heavyweight against Mike Tyson. Paul admitted he felt “too fat” at 227lb (16st 2lb) during his points win over the 58-year-old Tyson.
He commented, “It was just too much and my body wasn`t made for it… And even when I got into the ring I just felt too fat. So cruiserweight is definitely the perfect weight for me.”
Paul had initially hoped for a major fight against Canelo Alvarez in May, but the deal fell through. He then considered an exhibition match against WBA lightweight champion Gervonta Davis, despite the significant weight difference, but Davis is now scheduled for a rematch in August.
The 28-year-old Paul ultimately settled on fighting the 39-year-old Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. at a weight closer to Paul`s optimal level. Discussing his upcoming June 28 fight on DAZN PPV, Paul stated, “I wanted the hardest and the biggest fights, which was first Canelo then Gervonta fell through. And then at any given point in time we`re negotiating or talking with five to six fighters to see who`s down and ready to fight and making a date happen. And after Canelo and Gervonta, we were talking to multiple people and Chavez was the one to step up, that made sense for me to stay active and get a fight in June. So really it`s just the long line and I just need more time but I`m gonna get to all of these names when the stars aligned.”
