“My sights are set on becoming a world champion,” Jake Paul boldly declared last year ahead of his November showdown with Mike Tyson. And though the win came over a retired legend nearly 30 years his senior, The Problem Child wasted no time adding the scalp of one of boxing’s most feared former heavyweight champions to his growing resume. Now, the YouTuber-turned-boxer isn’t shy about chasing big names to fast-track his climb up the ranks, and it seems his ladder to the top is still very much intact.
After a failed bid to lure Canelo Alvarez into the ring and watching a potential clash with Gervonta “Tank” Davis evaporate into thin air, Jake Paul pivoted to a new target: Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. The two will square off on June 28 at the Honda Center in Anaheim, California. Despite Chavez Jr. being a former WBC world middleweight champion, the 28-year-old isn’t exactly shaking in his boots. “This is his toughest fight to date,’’ Jake Paul said. “And I’m going to embarrass him and make him quit like he always does.’’ And just in case you thought this was a one-off, Jake Paul already has his eye on his next big-name opponent. Who?
A few hours ago, Ring Magazine stirred the pot with a spicy Instagram update. “Jai Opetaia has told The Ring that he won’t knock Gilberto Ramirez if he wants to fight Jake Paul,” the caption read. Now, why would a reigning champion like Jai Opetaia spare Zurdo? The answer might be less about mercy and more about market value. While Opetaia has Claudio Squeo to handle on June 8th, his gaze is already locked on a unification bout with Ramirez, even if Ramirez has other names (and dollar signs) dancing in his head.
Opetaia, who looked sharp as a switchblade when he knocked out David Nyika in just four rounds this past January in Queensland while defending his IBF cruiserweight title, knows the game isn’t just about belts anymore, it’s about business. And Jake Paul, like it or not, brings eyeballs and pay-per-view buys. Meanwhile, Ramirez has kept his options open post-Dorticos, saying he’s game for “whoever” and Opetaia knows exactly what that could mean.
“Who knows,” Opetaia shrugged to The Ring, when asked what it’ll take to secure a fight with the unified cruiserweight champion. “I feel like I’m the cruiserweight that generates the most money with [Ramirez].” But even he concedes the Jake Paul factor is hard to ignore. “He’s [Ramirez] chasing coin, you can’t knock him if he wants to fight Jake Paul for a huge lump sum of money, who’d turn that down? I’d bash Jake Paul for a [expletive] couple mil, too. So it is what it is.”
Still, the Australian southpaw made his own stance clear. “I’m chasing unification fights,” Opetaia stated. “I just believe I am the best in the division and I believe if I just keep winning, the money’s going to come anyway, so I just need the fights to happen.” So, if you’re wondering why he said he wouldn’t KO Gilberto Ramirez, now you know.
Can Jake Paul handle the heat from Ramirez or Opetaia?
To even be eligible for a voluntary defense, he must break into the top 15 of the WBA or WBO rankings. So when asked about that timeline, Jake Paul admitted the climb could take time. “We’re very close,” he said. “I think less than two years. The right opportunity just has to open up, but right now, I’m focused on this former world champion (Chavez Jr), and this is going to build my resume and build my skillset under the lights.”
With that said, does Jake Paul truly stand a chance against the likes of Gilberto Ramirez or even Jai Opetaia? What do you think?
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