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Andreas Hale
ANAHEIM, Calif. — Jake Paul picked up his biggest win against an experienced opponent by cruising past former WBC middleweight champion Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. with a unanimous decision in a 10-round cruiserweight fight.
Paul (12-1, 7 KOs) has made clear his intentions to become a world champion, and the win over Chavez has pushed him closer to seeing his dream materialize. However, Paul is still relatively inexperienced, with only one fight as an amateur and his win against Chavez being just the 13th of his professional career. The level of competition that he has faced is also a concern. His career has been spent facing former MMA fighters, two boxing journeymen, a fellow YouTuber, a retired NBA player and a nearly 60-year-old former heavyweight champion in Mike Tyson.
Chavez is experienced, but he is well past his prime and has struggled to stay active and competitive. Nevertheless, Paul earned the biggest win of his career and demonstrated a few new wrinkles to a game that is showing growth since he suffered his lone loss to Tommy Fury in 2023.
If Paul wants to fight for a cruiserweight world title, his options are WBC champion Badou Jack, Gilberto “Zurdo” Ramirez, who defended his WBA and WBO belts in the co-main event, and Jai Opetaia, the IBF titleholder. Both the WBA and WBC have suggested that an impressive performance from Paul could see him ranked by the sanctioning bodies, while there has been no word from the IBF and the WBO.
“I don’t care, bro,” Paul said during his postfight interview. “I got a bunch of time. I’m 28 years old. I’ll fight anyone, anytime, any place.”
Given the circumstances, what is realistically next for Paul and who does he have the best chance against?
1. Badou Jack
Jack has held the WBC title since February 2023, when he stopped Ilunga Makabu, but he has made just one defense — against Noel Mikaelian in May. The timeline could match up for a fight with Paul by the end of 2025, and although Jack is 41, he remains a dangerous option because of his experience. Of all the champions, Jack would present the most realistic option for Paul. As for the challenge, it would be a massive step up for Paul, but he would have a reach advantage and has appeared to acclimate to the size of fellow cruiserweights. This is not to say Jack is the “easiest” opponent, but he is the most likely option if Paul hopes to win a world title.
2. Gilberto “Zurdo” Ramirez
A NEW challenger in the ring 👀🥊
Could @jakepaul vs. @ZurdoRamirezz be next on the card ⁉️ pic.twitter.com/tEEAyJBphc
— Most Valuable Promotions (@MostVpromotions) June 29, 2025
Ramirez, 34, won a hard-fought decision over former champion Yuniel Dorticos on Saturday and is undefeated at cruiserweight. Although it wasn’t his most impressive performance, “Zurdo” faced a former hard-hitting champion and pulled away late. Don’t be fooled by Ramirez’s slow start and mediocre performance. He’s incredibly skilled, with the ability to put together punches and effectively neutralize his opponent with his guard. Considering the WBA is interested in ranking Paul, Ramirez is an option for the former YouTuber. Ramirez seems to be more interested in a unification bout with Opetaia than facing Paul, and that seems to be the most likely route, even though the two conducted an impromptu staredown at the postfight news conference. Ramirez has size and experience on his side against the younger Paul, who would probably be a significant underdog. But the WBA has made questionable decisions in the past, so it wouldn’t be that much of a surprise if the fight with Paul was ordered.
3. Jai ota
Opetaia, 29, is the class of the cruiserweight division. He has speed and power on his side. He’s a violent puncher entering his prime years and a nightmare matchup for Paul at this point. The IBF hasn’t expressed any interest in ranking Paul, so this is the most unlikely of the potential championship fights for Paul. It also presents the stiffest challenge, and Paul would need significantly more seasoning in the ring before he steps up to the challenge. Opetaia is not as popular with American audiences, so the risk versus reward may not be worth it for Paul just yet.
Most likely next opponent: Tommy Fury
A rematch with Fury — in a nontitle fight — is a more realistic option for Paul, who has improved by leaps and bounds since the last time they fought. The time is right for the loss to be avenged. Paul’s team has routinely stated that Fury’s asking price was too high for a rematchbut Fury’s options are few and far between at this point in his career. The fight would be a significant draw with a strong storyline. As long as the two sides can come to terms, this is the right fight to make if Paul cannot secure one with a world champion.
