Jake Paul looks to be eyeing a return to boxing after taking time out of the ring following a near career-ending jaw injury, with his Most Valuable Promotions partner Nakisa Bidarian outlining who he is targeting.
The American YouTuber-turned-professional boxer had been on a run of big fights, including wins over a 58-year-old Mike Tyson and a former world champion who took Canelo Alvarez 12 rounds – Julio Cesar Chavez Jr.
This was before, in the eyes of many, he flew too close to the sun in opting to take on former two-time unified heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua at the end of last year. This fight saw Paul’s momentum come to a grinding halt when Joshua finally caught up to Paul in the sixth round and detonated a right hand that broke Paul’s jaw in two places, ending the fight.
Earlier this year, speaking with Ariel Helwani, Paul, revealed that he was back to training but was not allowed to spar and that there were still question marks whether he would be allowed to compete again as a result of a the damage done by Joshua.
Nakisa Bidarian reveals Jake Paul’s potential opponents
Whether this was him keeping himself in the public consciousness or a genuine concern, it no longer seems to matter as Bidarian, speaking with Sky Sports, revealed a grocery list of fighters Paul is looking at for his next fight, which includes another former heavyweight champion – Francis Ngannou.
“I think Jake views Francis Ngannou as being very powerful, but very slow and flat-footed, and not having good head movement. So Jake’s keen for that fight.” Bidarian explained.
“Jake’s keen for the Tommy Fury rematch. Jake’s keen to try to become a cruiserweight champion.
“Jake is keen to also think about other names that we’ve discussed that I won’t mention on this call. Obviously, Canelo is there, but other names as well.”
Who are the likely options on this wish list?
Out of that list it looks as though Ngannou may be the least likely, as Bidarian alluded to trying to make a much more suitable fight between Ngannou and newly crowned boxing star, Rico Verhoeven.
“I don’t think that rules out Francis as well,” Bidarian said. “So if that what Jake truly wants to do, if that’s what Francis wants to do, we’ll do our best to make it happen. But my priority for Francis is making Francis vs Rico [Verhoeven].”
Canelo Alvarez has publicly downplayed the fight, which was seemingly close to being signed last year before Alvarez agreed to his lucrative Riyadh Season deal. He is now set to try to become a super middleweight world champion again against Christian Mbilli in September, so Paul will have to wait until the Mexican is out of contract before he makes his move.
So, the two remaining options on that list are Tommy Fury and the pursuit of a cruiserweight world championship. Tommy Fury is currently tied up in his scheduled fight with former world’s strongest man Eddie Hall in June, but would more than likely be available for a fight in the fall, which Paul would no doubt take to avenge one of only two losses on his professional record.
The pursuit of a world championship will remain open to the American for a while due to his star power. To get there, he would currently have to fight Jai Opetaia, David Benvaidez, or the more likely option, Badou Jack, who holds the WBC belt.
We know that the WBC is not shy of sanctioning controversial world title challenges, as seen this past weekend when Rico Verhoeven fought Oleksandr Usyk
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