Jake Paul has secured his first ranking from a major boxing sanctioning body, debuting at No. 14 in the World Boxing Association's cruiserweight division following his unanimous decision victory over Julio Cesar Chavez Jr on Saturday.
The 28-year-old YouTuber-turned-boxer is now technically eligible to challenge unified WBA and WBO cruiserweight champion Gilberto "Zurdo" Ramirez for his world titles.
This marks a significant milestone for Paul, whose professional record stands at 12-1 with seven knockouts.
The ranking places him just five spots behind recent world champion Chris Billam-Smith and ahead of undefeated American Craig Parker.
Jake Paul takes significant step towards world title shot after WBA decisionPaul outpointed Chavez Jr over ten rounds at the Honda Center in Anaheim, California, in what was described as his second consecutive triumph over a former world champion following his November victory against Mike Tyson.
WBA president Gilberto Mendoza had revealed before the bout that Paul would be placed in the sanctioning body's world rankings if he could defeat the former WBC middleweight champion.
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The Mexican fighter, who previously shared the ring with Saul "Canelo" Alvarez in 2017 and Daniel Jacobs in 2019, was perceived as a significant step up for Paul on paper, though he reportedly didn't truly try to win until the final rounds.
Paul and Ramirez faced off at the post-fight press conference after both secured victories on the same card, with Ramirez successfully defending his titles against Yuniel Dorticos.
"I want tougher fighters. I want to be world champion," Paul said.
"Zurdo looked slow as s*** tonight, that'd be easy work too."
The social media influencer also called out British heavyweight Anthony Joshua and lightweight world champion Gervonta 'Tank' Davis after his win.
Ramirez's promoter Oscar De La Hoya suggested a blockbuster bout could materialise, stating: "I feel that Jake Paul beating Chavez Jr is a huge step towards that world title that he wants and it's not far-fetched."
Paul's only professional defeat came against former Love Island star Tommy Fury in 2023, whilst his November victory over 58-year-old Mike Tyson drew significant attention to his boxing career.
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Jake Paul beat Julio Cesar Chavez Jr on Saturday
Reuters
Should he secure a world title, Paul would become the first influencer in history to capture a world-level championship in the sport.
De La Hoya praised Paul's dedication, adding: "When he trains, this guy is probably the hardest worker in the game today."
WBC president Mauricio Sulaiman indicated that Paul could also be considered for a ranking with their organisation following his victory over Chavez Jr, though the WBC has yet to release its updated rankings.
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