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Jake Paul Reveals Wild 13-Fighter Wishlist as He Eyes Boxing Return

Jake Paul wants back into the ring. He discussed a thorough list of future opponents.
Terrance Biggs|
Jake Paul | Esther Lin / Most Valuable Promotions
Jake Paul | Esther Lin / Most Valuable Promotions | Esther Lin / Most Valuable Promotions

The line between sports and entertainment has disappeared, erased as traditional athletes blend with influencers and celebrities. Yet, for everyone involved, there's a lucrative market for these formally unlikely unions.

Boxing has always been the standard-bearer when it came to mixing the famous and the sweet science. Long before Muhammad fought professional wrestlers in exhibition matches, the sport provided a circus-like atmosphere for entertainers to exist in within its sizable orbit.

When fans hear the name Jake Paul, two thoughts come to mind. First, one generation remembers Paul and his brother, Logan, as Vine and YouTube stars who caused chaos online. More recently, people remember Anthony Joshua turning Paul's jaw into confetti during their fight last year.

For better or worse, Paul has a way of drawing attention to whatever he does, and as a result, his marketability catches the collective eyes and wallets of fighters who want to be part of the spectacle. Paul recently unveiled a wishlist of possible opponents he wants to see across from him in the ring.

Jake Paul
Jake Paul | Megan Briggs / Getty Images for Netflix

Jake Paul's fight wish list

For most boxers, naming a couple of opponents in your division and one or two above and below is enough to spark conversation and open a dialogue for future fights. However, Paul is not a traditional boxer.

That being said, Paul chose to name a laundry list of potential opponents, including Canelo Alvarez, Deontay Wilder, Francis Ngannou, and Ryan Garcia, among others.

Before I rest…
Canelo Alvarez
Francis Ngannou
Conor McGregor (Boxing & MMA)
Sean Strickland
Darren Till
Ryan Garcia
KSI
Chris Eubank
Edgar Berlanga
Tom Aspinall (Boxing)
Deontay Wilder
Nate Diaz (MMA)
Midget who ruined our fight
World Title

Make it happen
@nakisabidarian
Jake Paul on X

In all honesty, Paul's 14-2 record couldn't be more misleading. He's fought a streamer and multiple past-their-prime MMA champions. He lost to Tommy Fury, considered a fringe fighter at best. When he stepped in against a ranked fighter, Joshua took six rounds to batter Paul, carrying him until he decided to finish him.

Alvarez, who is significantly smaller than Paul, is the far better boxer and would counterpunch him into the ground. Mentioning Garcia, Wilder, and Ngannou takes the wishlist into darker territory.

Garcia is the current WBC welterweight champion. While he is roughly 50-60 pounds lighter than Paul, he is the far superior boxer and is blessed with elite speed. Meanwhile, Wilder and Ngannou are knockout artists with destructive power. Additionally, each possesses a chin that the influencer could never throw.

Just because Paul would be outclassed doesn't mean that he wouldn't still put the fights together. And with his previous events doing extremely well, Netflix is sure to put its streaming power behind him.

With defeat all but a certainty, should Paul attempt to make these fights happen?

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Published
Terrance Biggs
TERRANCE BIGGS

Terrance is a boxing writer for KO on SI. He's enjoyed over a decade of writing experience, writing for Full Press Coverage, Pro Football Sports Network and Heavy.com, covering both professional and collegiate sports. He is s a member of the Football Writers Association of America and the United States Basketball Writers Association. Terrance also votes on postseason awards like the Biletnikoff, Groza, and Thorpe Awards. Biggs earned his bachelor's degree in Communication from Fort Hays State University. When not writing, he enjoys spending time with his children and his fiancée, along with playing softball.