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After defeating Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. last weekend to move into the top 15 in the cruiserweight division according to the WBA rankings, Jake Paul could soon lose that position.
The American boxer, who has a record of 12-1, has moved up to 14th place on the 200-pound list thanks to his victory in Anaheim, but according to the respected Ring Magazine, the WBA plans to reconsider that decision at its European congress in Madrid from July 15 to 18. The reason is numerous criticisms from the boxing world.
Although Chavez Jr. is a former WBC middleweight champion, the Mexican boxer was not ranked by the WBA before the fight, nor had he had a serious triumph in the last few years. On paper, this is Paul's biggest win, but many believe that it is not enough to enter the elite.
Criticism from the profession
Spencer Oliver, well-known boxing analyst and voice of talkSPORT, did not mince words on the talkBOXING podcast:
"He doesn't deserve a ranking based on boxing against Julio Cesar Chavez Jr.," Oliver said. "Chavez Jr. didn't do anything for eight rounds, he literally just defended himself. We saw a little something in the ninth round, and then in the tenth round he decided to open up and try something. I don't like that..."
He also added: "Yes, he's progressing, of course he's progressing. But you can't beat Chavez Jr. and immediately get ranked and a shot at the title. There's talk of a Badou Jack fight, and maybe the timing would be good, but please... Where's the respect for this sport for all those who work so hard to get in that position?"
In the end, he concluded: "You can't just say, 'You have huge online popularity, so you immediately get a shot at the title,' because that makes a mockery of the sport."
Jake Paul has yet to defeat any world-renowned boxer. His most notable victory, besides this last one, is over Mike Tyson, who was 58 years old at the time, while his other opponents have mostly been former UFC fighters, influencers, and lesser-known professionals.
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