Who is Ryan Bourland? Everything you need to know about Jake Paul's next opponent

Jake Paul's next opponent will be former Golden Gloves champion Ryan Bourland. Earlier this month, 'The Problem Child' announced his intentions to return in March. The announcement frankly shocked many, considering Paul just scored a knockout win over Andre August in December.

That bout was the first time that the YouTuber-turned-boxer faced a "real boxer". August had a lengthy boxing career, including amateur and professional fights, before facing Paul.

For his next bout, fans expected much of the same. Earlier today, they got the confirmation that this was the case. As reported by the YouTuber himself, Jake Paul vs. Ryan Bourland will go down on March 2.

If you haven't heard of the cruiserweight, you're likely not alone.

The 35-year-old had a somewhat lengthy amateur career. Fighting out of South Dakota, Bourland is a former Golden Gloves champion and National Junior Olympics competitor. In 2013, he decided to turn pro, as a light-heavyweight.

Bourland won his first seven fights, before suffering a knockout loss to Israel Duffus in 2015. He again rattled off a seven-fight winning streak, before dropping a decision to Jose Hernandez in 2018.

While Bourland notched two more wins that year, he seemingly decided to take a hiatus.

In 2022, he returned to the ring as a cruiserweight, scoring a knockout win over Santario Martin. The victory was his first in four years and moved him to a stellar 17-2 record. In March, Bourland will look to notch the biggest win of his career, against Jake Paul.

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Jake Paul's next opponent Ryan Bourland makes first comments after announcement

According to Ryan Bourland, Jake Paul's next fight will be his last. While the cruiserweight journeyman will likely be a massive underdog for the contest, 'The Rhino' isn't afraid.

Earlier today, Bourland was asked about the fight with 'The Problem Child' by ESPN. There, the South Dakota boxer stated that while Paul was busy on YouTube, he was busy training.

On the undercard of Amanda Serrano vs. Nina Meike, Bourland hopes to send Paul away from boxing for good. In a statement to ESPN, the boxer stated:

"Jake Paul steps into the ring with his social media clout, but let's not mistake followers for experience or skill. While he's been busy chasing likes, I've been honing my craft for years, stepping into the ring and beating real boxers. On Saturday, March 2 I will shock the world and put an end to Jake Paul's boxing career."