Expected return from Jake Paul Against Hashim Rahman Jr., the son of former heavyweight champion Hashem Rahman, was called off on Saturday due to Abdul Rahman’s inability to make the agreed-upon 200-pound weight limit for the fight.
Abdul Rahman (12-1, 6 KOs) has competed in heavyweight throughout his professional career and last fought at 224 pounds in April. Paul (5-0, 4 KO’s) was looking for his first challenge against a real boxer. Beat fellow YouTuber Ali Eason Gibb, former NBA player Nathan Robinson and mixed martial arts fighters Ben Screen s Tyrone Woodleywho fought twice, including an impressive sixth-round knockout win last December.
So who should be fighting Paul next? Assuming you still want to fight a boxer, you have a few options. If you want to go back to your options before Rahman, a former UFC legend Anderson Silva And former middleweight champion Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. are viable options.
But what about the top shot? The World Boxing Council (WBC), which said last week it would class Paul in cruiser weight by defeating Rahman, created a bridge weight division two years ago for fighters who weigh between 201 and 224 pounds and could penalize a bout against its champion and Paul. .
and always Conor McGregor…
Mike Coppinger, Ben Beebe, and Michael Rothstein share their thoughts on the topic.
Back to Tommy Fury
Paul’s next opponent has to be the person he was originally supposed to fight: Tommy Fury.
Of course, Fury was unable to travel to the United States due to his fight for undisclosed reasons. But why should this fight take place on this side of the Atlantic? Why not in the UK, where Fury is already a celebrity? Or how about Saudi Arabia or Dubai, where the Fury family has some rich relationships?
Fury is perfect because it serves no important purpose in the bigger picture of boxing except to increase Paul’s credibility in future fights. Although technically a professional, Fury is closer to Paul in talent than his half-brother, heavyweight champion Tyson Fury.
To maintain the plot, Paul has to find an opponent who is a step ahead of previous competitors who have boxing as a second job. Anger is a risky opponent who can beat Paul. Anyone with real boxing experience would be a huge risk to Paul.
So everyone involved should find a way to get rid of Paul Fury. Let’s not think too much about the easy things. – between baby
Could Paul go for a current champion?
Let’s not get carried away here. Yes, the cruiser weight division is widely considered to be the worst in boxing. And no, we will not admit the absurd division of WBC median weight (perhaps the more we ignore it, the faster it will disappear).
But even the worst cruiserweight champ would have slapped Paul in the face. For example, Riyad Merhi had a minor title with the World Boxing Federation (WBA). He has 30 professional fights against real boxers. Paul hasn’t even faced one yet. Small steps, Jake. –Baby
What about Conor McGregor?
This might not be a bad choice if we’re being honest. McGregor heralded the current era of new boxing when he fought Floyd Mayweather in 2017.
Despite being an accomplished UFC champ, McGregor didn’t have to fight Mayweather, one of the greatest champions of all time. It still happens. And McGregor looked terrible. I think the McGregor-Pool fight will be sloppy and weak until one knocks the other out. But imagine the accumulation of fighting at night. Drama and tapes will be on another level. Pay-per-view purchases will be off the charts. And it would be an absolute circus: the exact environment in which they both grow. –Baby
Can you challenge a UFC champ or a former boxing champ?
Paul insisted his next fight would be against someone with real boxing experience, and that both original opponent Tommy Fury and alternate opponent Hashim Rahman Jr fit the bill.
With Fury and then Rahman out on August 6, it’s fair to think Paul will be looking elsewhere for a dance partner every time he returns to the ring.
It was rumored that Julio Cesar Chavez Jr., son of the Mexican legend, and Anderson Silva would be in the mix on August 6. It wouldn’t be surprising to see one of these two names earn Paul’s next paycheck.
Chavez, who has already passed his best days as a 160-pound champ, battled Silva in June 2021. The former UFC champ took a surprise win by split decision.
Silva is an inexperienced 47-year-old boxer, but he seems to be serious about training in the ring, while Chavez is not. Chavez, whose last notable win came in 2012, will also be inferior to Paul, who normally fights by £190.
Sure, there are better options for Paul if he’s looking to make a statement in his fifth pro fight. – Mike Cooper
What about current prospects?
I know this begs the question, but it’s the most accurate answer: a boxer is a “real” boxer that few fans have ever heard of. Let’s all remember Paul still had fewer than ten fights in his career at the age of 25. Yes, he brings in a lot of money, but at some point, he needs to fight someone in his weight class who is a boxer. Preferably someone who is not above your experience level.
I don’t see the possibility of him fighting for a championship now. I think there’s a real possibility that it could happen in the future, but a rush into something like that, in boxing, can lead to poor results.
For me, the most interesting option, which may sell better than the others, probably could not be due to the difference in weight, is Nico Ali Walsh. Both have name recognition and similar levels of expertise. But, Walsh weighed about 160 pounds and Paul weighed 190. That’s a pretty big difference in weight, in my opinion.
Since we have to use a name here, I’ll say Mohsen Kason (10-0, 7 KOs). He is a fighter. He’s a real cruiserweight and doesn’t have a lot of professional fights on his resume. Paul already knows him, considering Casson challenged him. Even Hashem Rahman Jr. suggested Casson be a short-term alternative. If Paul wanted to take on a challenge, it might make sense to put him in a fight. – Michael Rothstein
“Thinker. Professional twitter fanatic. Certified introvert. Troublemaker. Unapologetic zombie maven.”