Ahead of his fight with Tommy Fury in February, Jake Paul has already mapped out his future in the sport – and it’s to take over entirely.
The fighter from Cleveland found fame on the Disney channel before becoming a YouTube superstar. His latest passion is boxing, though, and he has a distinct talent to get fans talking about him – favourably or otherwise.
Despite his 6-0 record consisting of a YouTuber, a basketballer, and three retired MMA fighter – he fought one twice – the 26-year-old is supremely confident that he wins a world championship by stoppage in the not-so-distant future.
He talked up his skills to Sky Sports before making the claim.
“I’ve found my inner peace in that goal, and knowing that that’s what I’m working for every single day when I go to the gym, and knowing I’ve sparred against world champions and done phenomenal against them. So who knows what can happen in two to three years from now when I go into my athletic prime.
I’m starting to really, really get this sport, and all aspects of it. Things are clicking faster and faster, and I’m able to make minute adjustments real time, and to have fun and to be in a flow state. It’s really actually scary what could possibly happen.
I think that not only will I become a world champion, I think I will be a dominant world champion and knock someone out for the belt.”
Since his weight hovers around 190lb and his next fight is set at 185, Paul’s likely looking to conquer the cruiserweights. The current world champions on the scene are Lawrence Okolie, Jai Opetaia, Ilunga Makabu, and Arsen Goulamirian.
First up is Fury though. The British fighter who’s half-brother to the current heavyweight champion of the world presents a test to Paul in the sense that he’s the first opponent who is of similar age, height, and experience.
The pair will lock horns in Saudi Arabia on Sunday February 26, live on BT Sport Box Office and ESPN+. Fury has said in the past that he intends to go onto world honours, too. It seems that one man’s dream will end next month.