The experiment of Jake Paul at heavyweight came to a violent conclusion in December, when Anthony Joshua stopped the social media star with a thunderous sixth-round knockout in Miami.
It was a fight that captured global attention, blending elite boxing pedigree with crossover spectacle, and it left Paul bloodied but defiant.
After the one-sided defeat, the 28-year-old has made his next ambition unmistakably clear. The ‘Problem Child’ wants to move back down the scale and try his luck at cruiserweight world titles.
Despite having turned professional only in 2020 and owning just 12 bouts on his résumé, Paul has publicly set his sights on the 200lb division.
The knockout loss on December 19, 2025, was a sobering reminder of the gulf between a former unified heavyweight champion in Joshua and a relative newcomer in Paul.
Joshua absorbed early frustration before timing a right hand that ended the contest decisively. Yet even in defeat, Paul emerged convinced that his future lies not in testing giants, but in chasing belts at cruiserweight.
Cruiserweight targets emerge after heavyweight lesson
Speaking in July 2025, Paul confirmed that discussions were already underway with multiple reigning champions, framing the heavyweight setback against Joshua not as a deterrent but as a learning step.
He once again confirmed his intentions to drop down to cruiserweight after the fight in Miami.
Among the current champions, Australia’s pound-for-pound standout Jai Opetaia sits at the top of Paul‘s internal rankings.
The IBF titleholder is widely viewed as the division’s most complete fighter, and Paul did not shy away from acknowledging that reality.
The names referenced point directly to the heart of the division: Gilberto “Zurdo” Ramirez, a multi-division world champion, and veteran belt-holder Badou Jack.
He said: “Zurdo [Ramirez] and Jai are probably tied for No1 and I would say Badou [Jack] is No2. But all formidable opponents and we’re in conversations with Zurdo and also Badou as potential fights for next year.”
Each presents a drastically different challenge from the bout with Joshua, trading raw heavyweight power for speed, volume, and technical sharpness.
Notably absent from Paul‘s immediate plans, however, is Opetaia himself.
At just 29, the Australian has little interest in crossover bouts, instead focusing on unifying titles and eventually stepping up to heavyweight on his own terms. For Paul, that reluctance underscores the limits of star power when faced with a champion intent on legacy over spectacle.
Pressed on why Opetaia was not firmly included alongside Ramirez and Jack, Paul struck a familiar note about demand.
“It might line up but at the end of the day, there’s 100 people that want to fight me.”
Paul now a big draw in boxing
That claim is difficult to dispute. Even after being knocked out by Joshua, Paul remains one of boxing’s biggest commercial draws, capable of generating purses and attention that most champions cannot.
Still, skepticism remains widespread. Fans were quick to question the realism of a cruiserweight title run, especially against the elite end of the division.
One fan summed up the prevailing doubt bluntly, saying: “Jake Paul says he wants the Cruiserweight title but imagine what someone like Opetaia would do to him, he’d put him out cold if he didn’t quit prior to that.”
The path ahead for Paul is therefore starkly defined. Cruiserweight offers a more natural home than heavyweight, but it is also populated by fighters whose entire careers have been built around mastering the craft at 200 pounds.
Whether Paul can bridge that gap remains uncertain. But what is clear is that the knockout loss to Joshua has not cooled his ambition. Instead, it has redirected it toward a division where titles are theoretically attainable.
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