Jake Paul has been placed at 14 by the WBA in its latest cruiserweight rankings, a move that edges the American closer to a controversial world title shot.
The YouTuber-turned-boxer outpointed former world champion Julio Cesar Chavez Jr in a 10-round contest in Kansas on Saturday, securing the 12th victory of his professional career.
A top-15 ranking makes the 28-year-old boxing novice now eligible to challenge unified world champion Gilberto ‘Zurdo’ Ramirez, who holds both the WBA and WBO titles.
Paul has become a polarising presence in boxing, gaining fame through social media and largely facing former MMA fighters in a boxing ring.
Paul cruised past Chavez Jr, once a WBC middleweight champion but now far removed from his prime after years of struggles with weight, discipline, and motivation.
But his ranking is likely to frustrate many within the sport, with traditionalists critical of a fighter with limited experience leapfrogging more established contenders.
After his win, Paul called out British heavyweight Anthony Joshua, lightweight world champion Gervonta ‘Tank’ Davis. He later posed in a face-off with Mexican Ramirez backstage.
Ramirez, 33, extended his record to 48 wins with one defeat after defending his WBA title on the Paul-Chavez card by outpointing Yuniel Dorticos. He also holds a win over Britain’s former world champion Chris Billam-Smith.
WBC president Mauricio Sulaiman said prior to the bout that Paul could also be considered for a ranking with their organisation if he defeated Chavez Jr.
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Source: BBC
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