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Last month, Jake Paul and Tommy Fury had their long-awaited showdown. After years of trash talk, there was far more than money on the line. Pride was the greatest commodity of the night. 'The Problem Child' fought to prove his doubters wrong after they discredited the merits of every single one of his wins.
Every time the YouTube star emerged victorious, it was either due to his opponent's age or size. He longed to prove that he belonged in the squared circle. Meanwhile, Tommy Fury strove to prove otherwise. As the younger brother of all-time great heavyweight boxing champion Tyson Fury, his reputation was at stake.
Fury has been boxing since his early childhood. His older brother is among the greatest heavyweights of all time. He couldn't possibly lose to the former Disney Channel star. After a hard-fought bout, he emerged victorious. Unfortunately, Paul will likely exercise an immediate rematch clause.
An immediate rematch may not be in Paul's best interest. In fact, he's better off taking on another opponent to prepare himself for his guaranteed rematch with 'TNT'.
#5. Jake Paul vs. Anthony Pettis
Former UFC lightweight champion and current PFL star Anthony Pettis is currently scheduled to face Roy Jones Jr. in a boxing match this April. He is an ideal opponent for Jake Paul, even if some would decry a potential matchup as a step backwards given that 'Showtime' is a mixed martial artist and not a boxer.
Furthermore, he is much smaller than Paul. But he makes sense as an opponent for several reasons. Pettis offered to welcome Paul into the PFL with an MMA bout. A two-fight deal could be struck where the two men square off in boxing and then MMA. Additionally, 'The Problem Child' is in need of confidence.
Undefeated fighters typically struggle with confidence after suffering their first-ever losses. A less-than-confident Jake Paul will lose in a worse manner to Tommy Fury in a rematch. He needs to rebuild his confidence by doing what's familiar – fighting a smaller MMA fighter with no boxing background.
#4. Jake Paul vs. Deji Olatunji 2
Prior to Jake Paul's war with Tommy Fury, the former's toughest fight was against KSI's younger brother, Deji Olatunji. 'The Problem Child' was victorious after scoring a fifth-round TKO. It was his first and last amateur bout before he made the jump into professional boxing.
Since then, Olatunji has continued training and even secured an exhibition bout with the great Floyd Mayweather Jr. Prior to the match, he wowed the world after TKO'ing Yousef Saleh Erakat, better known as FouseyTube, in his finest-ever performance.
He has shown great improvement and could serve as a transitional opponent for the YouTuber. The two have a shared history, making a rematch easy to market.
#3. Jake Paul vs. KSI
Jake Paul has frequently called for a boxing match against KSI. Unfortunately, the Sidemen YouTube star has opted for a slower journey in his boxing career. Due to the amount of experience 'The Problem Child' has amassed from his past fights, KSI once believed he needed to learn at a slower pace.
The American influencer's victories over the likes of Anderson Silva and Tyron Woodley have led many to hold him in higher regard than KSI. After 'The Problem Child's' split-decision loss to Tommy Fury, however, KSI expressed a stronger interest in facing him sooner than initially anticipated.
Due to the disparity in boxing skills between them, Jake Paul should opt to face him in a warm-up bout that will not only prepare him for a rematch with Tommy Fury, but it will be lucrative as well.
#2. Jake Paul vs. Darren Till
Former welterweight title challenger Darren Till was recently released from the UFC after a significant downsing in his career. With no clear direction in his career, 'The Gorilla' could end up in Bellator or the PFL, but there's also the option for a journey into the world of boxing.
In a recent interview with MMA Junkie, the Englishman expressed an interest in boxing Jake Paul. He cited money as his primary source of motivation. Not only is 'The Gorilla' a high-profile name for 'The Problem Child', he would be a beatable opponent for more than one reason.
Till will be severely limited in the boxing ring due to the absence of low kicks and elbows, which he relies on. It will leave him with little else other than his straight left. Additionally, his recent string of losses have shaken his confidence and have rendered him too gun-shy to press the action in fights.
#1. Jake Paul vs. Nate Diaz
Nate Diaz has been a target for Jake Paul for a while now. The 'BMF' claimant's recent release from the UFC led to renewed interest in a boxing match with 'The Problem Child'. The pair have history as Stockton's finest once warned Paul that he'll cross paths with the wrong fighter and suffer a beatdown.
After signing with the PFL, Jake Paul challenged Nate Diaz—now a free agent—with a two-fight deal: he'll face him in an MMA bout if his foe agrees to face him in a boxing match. The former UFC star is much smaller than 'The Problem Child' and doesn't have an ounce of knockout power to trouble him.
Instead, Diaz is a volume-puncher. But the amount of damage he's absorbed throughout the years could be troublesome against a powerful puncher who massively outsizes him. It would be a lucrative bout and very winnable for Paul.
