Jake Paul has a multitude of options as he considers his first fight in 2022.- He has powerful
MMA executives talking about him, and is linked with a world champ boxer.
Jake Paul has the fight game in the palm of his hand at the start of 2022, with a wealth of options already presenting themselves for his next step in combat
Through his trolling of his prizefighting rivals and his highlight-reel knockout wins, the 24-year-old has gone from a YouTuber cosplaying as a fighter, to a legitimate force in showbiz boxing.
Granted, Paul is worlds away from gracing pound-for-pound lists. What he's doing is still not seen by many in the industry as real
But like it or not, he is one of the faces of fight sports to casual observers, alongside Conor McGregor, Saul "Canelo" Alvarez, Anthony Joshua, Errol Spence Jr., and Gervonta Davis.
The fact Paul isn't yet facing actual boxers doesn't seem to detract from his rise from a carnival feature in 2018 — an unofficial fight in which he beat KSI's brother Deji Olatunji by knockout — to a Showtime contract that should be the envy for young American boxers growing up.
Hardcore fans hate it. But the industry itself has stood up and taken notice. He's now being talked about by an increasing number of powerbrokers looking to chase that Paul clout.
One of Europe's top promoters Kalle Sauerland routinely name-dropped Paul when talking about his then-champion Mairis Breidis last year.
And 2022 is no different, with MMA executives now getting in on the act.
Bellator MMA boss Scott Coker appears keen on discussing opportunities with Paul, while
Coker told MMA Junkie earlier this month that knocking out the former
"I've never seen Woodley get knocked out like that," said Coker.
"If you want to come into MMA, we would gladly do it," he later added. "My understanding is he wants to get 10 fights into boxing, and then after that come over to mixed martial arts.
"I know certain people feel a certain way, but I tell you, don't underestimate these guys because when they have their minds made up, it just seems like that they're able to fulfill their destiny.
"And so to me, it's something that if they want to make it happen, we would love to do something with them and put them in some big fights and really test them out."
Murray told Sports Business Journal more recently that he has even held discussions with Paul and his agent Nakisa Bidarian about working together.
"Fans have seen him in the ring and this'd be an opportunity to see how he'd fare in the cage," said Murray. "We're down with it."
—Adam Stern (@A_S12) January 8, 2022
A huge opportunity in boxing may be preferred, though
Paul has plenty of options but it may that he goes for a big boxing match as his next fight.
During a recent spot on the Boxing with Chris Mannix podcast, the up-and-coming fighter said he is no longer tempted to fight fellow novice boxer Tommy Fury — the brother of Tyson Fury — and is instead intrigued at a bout involving Julio Cesar Chavez Jr.
"I like that fight a lot because it silences the critics," said Paul.
Not only would it be a match against somebody who has trained for years in boxing, but it would be a fight against a guy who is a former world boxing champion.
"He was a former world champion, and I know I could beat him," Paul said. "And you look at his record, it's like 50 wins or something, and I don't even know the losses, but it's a good record. So that challenge excites me and I'm down."
Chavez Jr. has fought 61 times, winning 53 fights, losing six, and drawing one. One fight ended in a no contest.
It is unclear if a Paul vs. Chavez Jr. fight will go ahead, but if it ever did, it could become a huge draw on Cinco de Mayo weekend — a significant date on the annual boxing calendar.
Considering his Showtime contract, the potential opportunities in MMA, and a prospective big-name opponent in boxing, Paul is already proving himself to be one of the biggest and most influential names in boxing.