Who Will Be Jake Paul’s Next Opponent?

Jake Paul began as a YouTube celebrity and has become a boxer. He has a record of 12-1 and seven knockouts. He fights at the cruiserweight level and in an orthodox posture. His reach comes in at 76 inches. Paul has interspersed celebrity fights with more serious and difficult fights.

In 2025 Jake Paul achieved a milestone by making the No. 14 ranking in the WBA cruiserweights list. That spot gives him far more credibility in the sport. It also influences the Jake Paul odds for his upcoming fights. With this ranking, future Jake Paul opponents could be true title contenders. This marks a sharp shift from the celebrity matchups he began with. Fans are watching closely for news on the Jake Paul next fight. Betting interest keeps growing, especially in markets focused on Jake Paul betting and fighting odds.

Previous Jake Paul’s opponents

Jake Paul’s recent run of high-profile bouts has completely changed how fans and bookmakers look at Jake Paul odds. Each of his last four fights has pushed him further away from “YouTuber novelty” and closer to a genuine contender, which is why every new result immediately shifts markets tracking Jake Paul fight odds and long-term expectations for Jake Paul next fight.

Opponent

Together, these results explain why Jake Paul odds have tightened against higher-level Jake Paul opponents and why each new matchup is treated as much more than a sideshow.

Jake Paul’s potential opponents

After the cancellation of the November 14, 2025 bout with Gervonta “Tank” Davis, pulled due to Davis’ ongoing legal issues and the commission’s concern over the extreme weight gap, Jake Paul’s team is actively searching for a new matchup. Paul wants an opponent who blends sporting credibility with media impact, keeping Jake Paul odds and public interest high. Sportsbooks like 22Bet view several Jake Paul opponents as realistic options, especially those who can elevate both narrative appeal and competitive intrigue.

Tommy Fury

One of the most familiar Jake Paul opponents is Tommy Fury. He carries strong boxing roots and broad mainstream attention. As Tyson Fury’s younger brother, he comes from a proven fighting family. His rise on reality TV boosted his profile even further. Together, that gives him both real credibility and solid commercial appeal. The history the two have makes it even more appealing. After their pro bout back in February 2023, Paul had his first loss via split decision against Fury. Highly covered, the scorecards read 76-73, 76-73, 74-75 in favor of Fury.

The obvious reason is that a rematch comes with built-in drama and is a commercial hit in the making. However, negotiations reportedly broke down over money, with the Fury camp pushing for a significantly higher purse. Given the rivalry’s history, Fury remains a high-medium likelihood option. If Paul agrees to the financial terms, this rematch becomes one of the most plausible, and profitable, directions for Jake Paul fights moving forward.

Alex Pereira

At UFC, the light heavyweight champion is Alex Pereira. He is also a kickboxer who is world-renowned. He is known by fans because of his heavy knockouts and technical striking. After stopping Mike Perry, he called out Jake Paul for a boxing match. He even FaceTimed Paul in the ring, showing real interest in the idea. Paul told ESPN that Pereira’s team is “down,” and only the UFC blocks it. 

Reports say Pereira signed a new UFC deal, complicating any boxing crossover. He does admit that boxing interests him but says the contract keeps him tied there. That creates a risky matchup for Paul, against a bigger, far more proven striker. The fight’s crossover appeal is huge, yet contract issues keep the likelihood at medium. Paul’s previous crossover win over MMA fighter Mike Perry still makes negotiations feel realistic.

Francis Ngannou

Francis Ngannou is the previous UFC heavyweight champion who is reputed to have brutal knockouts. He also has fought such elite heavy weights as Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua. After Jake Paul vs Gervonta Davis was canceled over a civil lawsuit, Paul’s team sounded Ngannou out as a replacement.

Ngannou shot down the idea almost immediately, referring to the offer as puzzling and disrespectful. “No, there’s no such thing happening. How can they go from Gervonta Davis to Francis Ngannou?” he told TMZ Sports. The size, power, and striking experience of Ngannou create a serious skill gap for Paul.

That fact keeps any Jake Paul odds on this fight extremely remote. Of the possible Jake Paul opponents, Ngannou continues to be the most dangerous but least realistic option. Most analysts rate the likelihood as low, despite the enormous crossover spectacle it promises. Still, fans continue to float a 2026 exhibition as a fantasy super-fight scenario.

Will Paul Be Able To Compete For The Title?

Jake Paul has made it into the WBA rankings by defeating Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. on June 28, 2025. He was ranked 14th in the cruiserweight division. That status places him in a position to claim a shot at a world-title. That greatly changed how regulators, promoters and even Jake Paul odds markets viewed his status. What does the WBA ranking mean:

• Licensing and status: Paul is now a sanctioned top-15 contender, meaning that commissions and broadcasters can market any future bout as a legitimate world-title eliminator or even a title fight.
• Titles theoretically available: The WBA could approve him for its world cruiserweight title, or even a secondary “regular” or interim belt, which the organization has created in the past for commercial fights.
• Current WBA champion: The current WBA Super Cruiserweight champion is Gilberto “Zurdo” Ramírez, also holding the WBO belt after recent defenses against Yuniel Dorticos.