Jake Paul’s name continues to attract callouts from fighters across combat sports. The YouTuber-turned-boxer has built a lucrative career facing former MMA fighters and ex-champions, while many active professional boxers have been left frustrated watching his rise.
From former UFC stars like Nate Diaz and Tyron Woodley to retired boxing legends like Mike Tyson, Paul’s fights have captured mainstream attention.
Paul has most recently made headlines after word of a fight between him and Canelo Alvarez had broken. The fight was rumoured to be in serious contention, before it was announced that Canelo had instead signed a 4-fight deal with Turki Alalshikh.
But now, a former heavyweight champion who isn’t retired has entered the conversation, publicly calling out Paul for a potential showdown.
Andy Ruiz Jr Calls Out Jake Paul
The former unified heavyweight champion, Andy Ruiz Jr, took to social media to challenge Paul, offering to give the younger fighter a shot at a real, active heavyweight.
Ruiz, known for his stunning upset victory over Anthony Joshua in 2019, commented the following on a post Paul made about the break-down of his fight with Canelo:
‘I’m down to fight my brotha. Let me know, it would be an honour for my fans and the Mexican people’.
With Paul still looking to add legitimacy to his record by facing a boxer with true credentials, a fight with Ruiz could be a logical next step.
Ruiz has had an inconsistent career since his historic win over Joshua, losing the rematch and struggling with inactivity. However, at just 34 years old, he remains an active and dangerous fighter in the heavyweight division. His most recent victory came against Luis Ortiz in September 2022, though he has since fought to a draw against Jarrell Miller.
If Paul were to accept, it would mark the biggest challenge of his boxing career by far. While he’s fought and beaten ex-UFC fighters like Anderson Silva, and has stepped up to heavyweight in his bout against Tyson, he has yet to step into the ring with a legitimate, active heavyweight boxer. Whether Ruiz’s callout will lead to an actual fight remains to be seen, but if it does, it would be Paul’s toughest test yet.
Other fighters to have called Jake Paul out include Derek Chisora, who jokingly mentioned the YouTuber’s name in his post-fight press conference following a win over Otto Wallin in his penultimate fight, and Carl Froch, who has expressed that he would fight Paul for free and give his purse to charity.
It seems, following the downfall of the alleged Canelo fight, Carl Froch may be the current frontrunner for Paul’s next fight.
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