After his recent victory over Julio Cesar Chavez Jr, the social media personality turned boxer, Jake Paul, has entered the WBA cruiserweight rankings, securing a spot in the top 15. This new ranking makes him eligible for a shot at Gilberto ‘Zurdo’ Ramirez’s world title, and consequently, various fighters are now challenging him. One notable figure to issue a challenge is legendary former champion Roy Jones Jr, though it appears improbable Paul will accept.
One of the fighters who wants in on the Paul fight is the legendary Roy Jones Jr, who has continued competing years after his world championship heyday. However, after the controversy surrounding his record-breaking fight with Mike Tyson last year, it’s unlikely Paul will answer the call.
Roy Jones Jr Proposes Cruiserweight Bout with Paul
Roy Jones Jr, a multi-division former world champion, has been closely observing Jake Paul`s progress in boxing. Paul notably fought on the undercard of Jones`s exhibition bout against Mike Tyson in 2020, and now Jones seems interested in facing Paul himself.
During a recent appearance at the IBA convention, Jones was asked about Paul`s potential path to a world title. Jones estimated Paul was only “two fights from gold.” He then suggested an intriguing scenario: “I’ll tell you what, you know what would be thrilling? … The best thing would be Jake Paul in the position, Roy Jones Jr has two or three fights to come back and he never got the real cruiserweight world title. Jake Paul wants that cruiserweight, real world title. Wow… Somebody vacates and they fight for a vacant world cruiserweight title.”
Paul Reflects on Achieving Cruiserweight Ranking
Before his high-profile fight with Tyson, Paul had been building a more conventional boxing career by facing less famous opponents with solid professional records, such as Ryan Bourland (17-2) and Andre August (10-1-1). These victories, combined with his recent win over former middleweight world champion Julio Cesar Chavez Jr, were sufficient for the WBA to include Paul in their cruiserweight rankings.
Reacting to his new ranking on social media platform X, Paul stated, “I’ve worked hard to get here but there is nothing to celebrate. 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.”
