Maybe not the most legitimate boxer in the eyes of purists, but Jake Paul has proven himself to be a top-tier promoter, arguably the best among the new generation. But as a boxer, he’s not too far behind either. He’s currently ranked 14th by the WBA in their cruiserweight rankings after his win over Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. last month. Soon after the win, ‘The Problem Child’ made it clear that his ultimate goal is to become a world champion. Since turning pro in 2020, he has gone 70 rounds, amassed 12 wins, 7 by knockout, and suffered only 1 loss.

Whether people like it or not, Jake Paul is evolving, maybe not in the sense of a traditional boxer. But he has evolved, especially considering only a few years ago he was making cringy rap songs and prank videos for YouTube. This might be the reason why Oscar De La Hoya believes that the 28-year-old is well on his way to a world title.

Yesterday, All the Smoke Boxing shared a post on Instagram with the caption, “World champion @JakePaul? @OscarDeLaHoya sees it happening soon 🔮🏆.” In the clip, the hosts discussed Jake Paul’s hitlist and the fights he wants to take next. One of the hosts asked Oscar De La Hoya if a fight between Jake Paul and Gilberto ‘Zurdo’ Ramirez was realistic. “It’s realistic, yeah,” De La Hoya replied. “I think a Badou Jack [bout] is realistic as well. I mean, if you take a look at what Jake Paul is doing and how he is orchestrating his career, he’s picking and choosing the right time, the right moment, the right fighter to strike, you know.”

“Whether it’s Chavez not fighting for two years and having a little ring rust, but he’s still Chavez, he will beat him. Whether it’s Badou Jack, who is a little older, you know he still has the goods, but he is a little older. He’s not, you know, Zurdo, who is, you know, maybe a ‘little slow’ from Jake Paul’s mouth. What I like about him is that he is very calculated with his career. He is very serious. He takes this game… I mean, this is life or death for him. This is his career… Everything is on the line, so he’s like the hardest worker… I’m telling you, I love what he’s doing,” De La Hoya shared, acknowledging Jake Paul’s love for boxing.

One of the hosts then followed up, asking, “You think Jake could beat a Badou Jack?” given that the WBC cruiserweight champion is now 41 years old and on a 7-fight win streak. De La Hoya made a bold prediction in response, stating, “I am gonna call it right here, right now. I think Jake Paul becomes world champion within two years. I don’t know how many fights that would be in his, but within two years, I believe Jake Paul would be a world champion.”

The prediction is both bold and big, but Jake Paul’s next potential target is just that.

Jake Paul is ‘dead serious’ about Deontay Wilder fight, says ex-trainer

‘El Gallo’ seems to have more than one arrow in his quiver, and his latest target could be none other than Deontay Wilder. According to Wilder’s former trainer, Malik Scott, ‘The Problem Child’ may be setting his sights on the former heavyweight champion. Scott revealed that this potential matchup was hinted at during a conversation with Paul’s business partner, Nakisa Bidarian, suggesting that the wheels might already be turning behind the scenes.

“Jake is dead serious about the Deontay Wilder fight,” Scott told Thunderpick. Scott, who amicably parted ways with Wilder before his June 27 fight against Tyrrell Herndon in Wichita, recalled meeting Bidarian during the Katie Taylor vs. Amanda Serrano trilogy bout in New York. “The first thing he said was, ‘We’re interested in the Deontay Wilder fight,’” Scott revealed.

While he expressed doubt about whether the fight would ultimately happen, Scott stressed that timing would be the key factor. “We’re talking about Jake in the ring with Deontay Wilder, it just makes no sense at all. But unfortunately, Jake Paul is a big money guy in the sport of boxing right now,” he said. So, all things considered, Jake Paul appears determined to secure a marquee fight against elite boxers in an effort to silence his critics down the line. But the real question is, could Jake Paul actually defeat Gilberto ‘Zurdo’ Ramirez, Badou Jack, or even Deontay Wilder if those fights materialize? What do you think?