Jake Paul has been called out by one of the greatest boxers of all time – but it seems unlikely he will answer.
The controversial YouTuber-turned-boxer is now a top 15 WBA cruiserweight after his win over Julio Cesar Chavez Jr on Saturday night. As a result, he is qualified to compete for Gilberto ‘Zurdo’ Ramirez’s world title, and is getting called out left, right and center.
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.
- Who is Jake Paul? Get to know the YouTuber-turned-boxing sensation after his record-breaking fight with Mike Tyson
Roy Jones Jr calls out Jake Paul for cruiserweight showdown
One keen viewer on Jake Paul’s boxing career is multiple-weight former world champion Roy Jones Jr. The social media star appeared on his undercard when he fought Tyson in 2020, and he now wants a piece of the action.
Asked how far he feels Paul is from a world title during a recent appearance at the IBA convention, Jones said he was just two fights from gold. “I’ll tell you what, you know what would be thrilling?” He then asked.
“See, I should be a boxing promoter, I do some but they don’t let you in the big lane like that. But 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.”
Jake Paul opens up about earning cruiserweight ranking
Prior to his fight with Tyson, Paul has begun to pursue a legitimate boxing run where he took on lesser-known names with impressive professional records. He faced Ryan Bourland and Andre August, whom he took on in low-key affairs prior to his blockbuster showdown with Tyson.
While neither Bourland nor August were star names, they had legitimate records of 17-2 and 10-1-1. Those wins, coupled with his victory over former middleweight world champion Chavez Jr on Saturday night was enough to have the WBA put Paul in their rankings.
“I’ve worked hard to get here but there is nothing to celebrate,” Paul wrote on X after learning the news. “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.”