The 5 Best Boxing Opponents for Jake Paul's Next Fight
It's not quite a puff of smoke from the Vatican, but it's close.
OK, not really.
But those who follow the novelty side of combat sports are interested.
Social media behemoth Jake Paul is on the hunt for an opponent for a would-be Dec. 15 fight, and an announcement about who drew the lucky straw to share the marquee is expected any day now.
Paul won his six fights against a fellow YouTuber, an ex-NBA player and three faded former MMA fighters before tasting defeat for the first time against Tommy Fury, a British-based reality TV personality who happens to be the half-brother of heavyweight champ Tyson Fury.
He returned six months later with another UFC alumnus, Nate Diaz, and with a talked-about rematch in the cage now on the back burner, he's scanning the horizon for another ring test.
Being the helpful sorts that we are, the B/R combat team has agreed to waive its collective matchmaking fee to help speed up the process, compiling a list of five feasible adversaries—some admittedly more than others—for the "Problem Child's" next trip through the ropes.
Take a look at what we came up with and drop a thought of your own in the comments.
And Jake, if you're out there, consider tossing us a "like" as payment in full.
Logan Paul
1 of 5
OK, we're not saying it's about to happen.
In fact, we'll not even suggest it's likely to ever happen.
But c'mon, who among us with a pain-in-the-neck sibling wouldn't relish the idea of lacing up gloves and knocking them around a bit, just to let out a little frustration?
And if the general public were willing to pay bags of money to see it?
Even better.
That's where the Paul brothers find themselves these days at the top of the crossover boxing mountain. If they promote it, people will come. And there's simply no more circus-like event they could imagine, short of ex-presidents duking it out, that'd cater more to that crowd.
As recently as earlier this year, it was at least a question to be answered.
"I don't know if it will ever happen, man," Jake Paul said on Piers Morgan Uncensored. "We can fantasize about it. Who knows? I think it could be really interesting."
Jorge Masvidal
2 of 5
Jorge Masvidal is getting a little antsy away from the spotlight.
The UFC's former "BMF" champion and long-time fan favorite announced his retirement from octagonal combat after a loss at UFC 287 in Miami, but he's been rumbling lately about a desire to return to the striking realm as a professional boxer.
He told ESPN last week that he'd be in the ring early next year and that somebody, presumably a prospective opponent, would "get killed."
Paul, meanwhile, was set to announce an opponent for his own next fight on December 15. But he was left in the lurch when, according to business partner Nakisa Bidarian, that would-be rival was unable to secure a visa to enter the United States.
So why not solve both equations with a head-to-head match?
"I'm hearing those numbers that got thrown around and made," Masvidal told ESPN MMA (via Marca.com). "I'm like 'Man, I'll throw my hat, my name in that lottery pool that mish mash.'"
Tommy Fury
3 of 5
It's been kind of a rough week for the Fury name.
The fighting champion of the family, heavyweight champ Tyson Fury, was nearly knocked from his unbeaten perch thanks to a far tougher than expected challenge from ex-UFC menace Francis Ngannou, who knocked him down on the way to a split-decision verdict.
So perhaps it's time for half-brother Tommy to come to the rescue.
Tyson Fury was ringside when Tommy secured a narrow unanimous nod over English-based influencer/boxer KSI last month in Manchester. And considering the history between the Furys and Paul—Tommy handed Jake his only loss nine months ago—it's not rocket science to suggest there'd be interest on both sides in doing it again.
Paul has consistently said that avenging the defeat is his primary short-term goal, and Fury said after defeating KSI that the ending Jake and Logan duo was his objective as well.
"I'm done with this s--t, all this crossover s--t," he said.
"Any of the Pauls want it, I welcome it with open arms."
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KSI
4 of 5
Purists, hold your noses and cover your eyes.
Though the action in his recent fight against Tommy Fury could be called "boxing" in only the most liberal of terms, it's impossible to argue British influencer KSI doesn't have a following.
And being the successful social media magnate that he is, he's plenty smart enough to realize that throwing down with Jake Paul would be good for his follower numbers and even better for his financial well-being.
Though he was an insult to boxing fundamentals in his six-round loss to Fury last month, KSI's long-running feud with Paul ensures that if it's a fight he wants to take, it's there to be made.
Of course, KSI's manager, Mams Taylor, insisted on The MMA Hour that Paul backed out of a would-be match for December, claiming Paul wanted "a bigger name."
But Paul went on YouTube after the KSI-Fury fight and said "KSI was good for one round and got tired after that. But I still want to decapitate KSI."
Believe who you like in the he said/he said exchanges.
But in the end, dollars make sense. And this one makes loads of both.
Conor McGregor
5 of 5
Into every would-be fight list, a little Conor McGregor must fall.
The fiery Irishman hasn't graced a UFC Octagon in 28 months and hasn't won a sanctioned fight in nearly four years, but that doesn't mean his name isn't in the mouth of every combat sports athlete seeking a little slice of the "Notorious" pie.
Logan Paul labeled him a "little leprechaun" while issuing a challenge following his defeat of McGregor's friend Dillon Danis on the Fury-KSI undercard, and Jake has intermittently gotten into the act since he first boxed professionally four years ago.
It's seemed closer at some times than others at various points since, but it's rarely been more appropriate than it is now—as Paul looks for a transcendent opponent and McGregor aims to return to prominence for something other than run-ins with the law.
If there's a bigger novelty event to be made, we'd love to hear about it.
McGregor, for those who've forgotten, reached the 10th round with Floyd Mayweather Jr. in the champion of all crossovers in 2017, generating more than four million pay-per-view buys.
"When I called out Conor McGregor people thought I was crazy, and now I guarantee you he won't ever box me because I could beat him and he knows that," Paul said on Piers Morgan Uncensored. "If I could beat Anderson Silva, who was bigger, stronger, faster, better striker, than a smaller guy, Conor McGregor is not going to want to fight me."
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