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Jake Paul isust one weight-division (10 lbs) down from fighting in the heavyweight division. Currently a cruiserweight prodigy, Paul is unbeaten in his 5-fight pro career. He was about to enter his sixth, with two scheduled fights falling off in the final moments.
Meanwhile, ‘The Problem Child’ has constantly aimed shots at several elite-level combatants from the MMA and boxing worlds. He has vowed to become a cruiserweight world champion but has never delivered a prominent opinion on a move to heavyweight.
While Jake Paul continues to soar in the 175 lbs-190 lbs division, his entry into the heavyweight category could spice things up. Hailing from the social media background, Jake Paul has proven himself to be a pay-per-view attraction and a power-punching knockout artist.
Watch Jake Paul's KO win over Ben Askren below:
Hence, a potential slide to the heavyweight division could be lucrative for the American boxer.
Jake Paul: Age, Height, Weight, and Reach
25-year-old Paul stands at 6’ 1” / 185 cm tall with 76’/193 cm reach. He is still in the early years of his athletic career and has boasted smart features already. Paul has knocked out every opponent he has fought, including former MMA world champions- Ben Askren and Tyron Woodley. Both Woodley and Askren were welterweight fighters (170 lbs) in the UFC. Hence, they came up to the cruiserweight limit to face Jake Paul.
In an attempt to shift to fighting fellow pro boxers, he tried to face Tommy Fury and then Hasim Rahman Jr. only for both fights to fall through.
Since then, Jake Paul hasn’t confirmed his in-ring return. Meanwhile, a surprise entry to the heavyweight division could be alluring. There are plenty of heavyweights that can crumble before Paul’s KO-power.
5 potential heavyweight opponents for Jake Paul
The below-mentioned boxers can be a good welcome fight for ‘The Problem Child’ in the big boy’s club.
Nathan Bedwell
The 30-year-old American southpaw has been in the sport for over a decade but has failed to achieve anything exceptional. He holds a professional record of 7 wins, 19 losses, and 1 draw. He has earned 6 of his 7 wins via KO and has lost 8 of his fights through a similar outcome. The numbers are clearly unimpressive.
That said, Bedwell is fresh off two TKO wins against Rayford Johnson and Marvin Hunt. It could be a good tune-up fight for Paul, who would also be the biggest payday in Nathan Bedwell’s carer. Both sides could benefit from it as Bedwell would grab a lot of attention by fighting Jake Paul.
Hasim Rahman Jr.
If Paul enters the heavyweight division, Rahman Jr. might be the first person to chase him. A career heavyweight, Rahman Jr. was asked to drop down to the cruiserweight category with a rehydration clause. This massive weight-changing protocol disrupted the fight from happening.
Hasim Rahman Jr. seemed confident about beating his former sparring partner. So, a heavyweight clash between the two would clearly put Rahman Jr. as the favorite. However, Paul may not want to take that test this early.
Tom Little
The 6’5” tall British boxer hasn't fought since his TKO loss against Alen Babic in 2020. In a 19-bout career, Little has won 10 fights and has lost nine of them. His boxing run could be considered to be that of a gatekeeper.
Despite failing to amass impressive numbers, Little has fought some of the top-tier heavyweight boxers in his time. David Price, Filip Hrgovic, and Daniel Dubois have all been former opponents. Although the Briton did not win, he still has legimitame experience and is a threat to Jake Paul in a heavyweight boxing affair.
Fabio Maldonado
The Brazilian heavyweight boxer stands at 6’0” with a pro boxing record of 26 wins and 5 losses, in which he has earned 27 knockout wins. The orthodox boxer will return to action against Yamil Alberto Peralta on September 17, and will try to retain his knockout streak.
After losing five fights consecutively from 2018 to 2021, Fabio Maldonado has won his last two bouts via KO and TKO. Upon surpassing Peralta this week, he shall be on good terms to go for a big fight. The Brazilian has also competed in the UFC, something which many of Paul's boxing opponnts have done. Thus, Maldonado is well suited as a potential heavyweight opponent for Jake Paul.
Vitor Belfort
Belfort, a former UFC champion, could be a good fit for Paul's boxing journey. Jake Paul has previously vanquished MMA fighters in the ring and Belfort could be another name on that list, but Belfort is very different from Ben Askren or Tyron Woodley.
Vitor Belfort took out veteran Evander Holyfeld in his last boxing outing and a potential bout with Oscar De La Hoya convinced 'Golden Boy' to remain retired. De La Hoya was scheduled to face ‘The Phenom’ which failed after the Golden Boy kingpin contracted the coronavirus.
It urged Holyfield to slide into the fight only to get knocked out cold. If Paul wants to have a heavyweight feast in the boxing ring, Vitor Belfort could be a good target.
Notable mentions
If Jake Paul wants a legitimate boxing legacy, he shall look for former world champion boxers. Retired fighter David Haye could be a good matchup for 'The Problem Child' in the heavyweight division.
Hasim Rahman Sr. had also called out Paul during the build-up to his son's fight against the YouTuber-boxer. Hence, the former world champion can also bring in some good fortune for Paul.
