Last month, Jake Paul experienced the first stoppage loss in his professional boxing career and was subsequently removed from the WBA world rankings. The former YouTuber turned boxer was knocked out by Anthony Joshua in Miami, suffering a broken jaw that required surgery. Paul had moved up in weight for his Netflix Superfight but was already in jeopardy of losing his ranking after initiating legal action to have his ranking position removed.
As Paul focuses on recovery from surgery, discussions about his next fight remain distant, with the boxer aiming to secure two victories next year to reclaim his status in the rankings, though this remains uncertain.
Maintaining a spot in the WBA cruiserweight top 15 was always challenging for Paul, especially given his plans to finish 2025 in a different weight class. He was initially set to face Gervonta Davis in an openweight exhibition, which fell through, leading him to move up to heavyweight to face Joshua, raising questions about his divisional eligibility since two of his last three fights were outside his division.
Paul earned his WBA ranking after a disputed decision win over Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. in June, a ruling upheld at the WBA’s European Conference despite controversy. He has not commented on the removal of Liam Callanan and Edin Puhalo from the rankings. Originally ranked 14th, Paul dropped to 15th last month and is now unranked. He hopes to challenge for a cruiserweight world title following the Joshua defeat and shared a card with WBA champion Zurdo Ramirez, but he needs another win to re-enter serious contention.
Before his knockout loss to Joshua, Paul’s team sought a spot in the WBO rankings, where Ramirez likely holds the title. The request was denied prior to his scheduled fight with Davis. At the WBO meeting in October, Mike Renaldi of Most Valuable Promotions asked to classify Paul as a cruiserweight, noting Paul’s intention to return professionally at 200 pounds in the spring. Given his recovery timeline, this return seems doubtful in the near term.
Fan Take: This development is significant for fight fans as Jake Paul’s rise and fall illustrate the challenges of transitioning from celebrity to legitimate boxing contender. His ability to recover and climb back up could shape the sport’s evolving landscape, particularly around crossover athletes in professional boxing.
