Jake Paul’s got the kind of right hand that makes grown men forget their kids’ names—but the engine powering that cannon is still suspect. Paul (12-1, 7 KOs) earned a unanimous decision over Julio César Chávez Jr. on Saturday, but if he wants to beat the cruiserweight division’s top dogs, “The Problem Child” will need to fix his stamina problem.
When the adrenaline fades and the muscles swell with lactic acid, his explosive arsenal becomes jammed. Every time he threw three shots in a row after the 5th frame, you can almost hear his muscles scream like they just ran a 40-yard dash with cinder blocks tied to them. The muscles are flashy. They sell tickets. But they also betray him as fights wear on.
Against Chávez Jr., Paul clung to smokey like a man overboard grasping for a life preserver. That wasn’t planned—that was survival. Chávez looked pretty shopworn and shouldn’t have lasted the distance.
| Jake Paul Tale-Of-The-Tape |
|
| Division |
Cruiserweight |
| Ht. |
6’1″ |
| Age |
28 |
| Reach |
76″ |
| Record |
12-1 (7 KO’s) |
| Rank Boxrec |
#69 |
| Pound-4-Pound Boxing Rankings Rating |
7.8 |
Jake Paul Boxing News & Odds
Paul could open as the favorite over Beau Jack due to his popularity
If we’re talking about a matchup with WBC cruiserweight champion Badou Jack, don’t be surprised if Jake Paul opens as the betting favorite due to his popularity. ESPN BET Boxing Odds would likely open Paul -115. Jack’s 41. He’s slick, smart, and a ring general—but there’s not a lot of tread left on those tires. Paul, for all his inexperience, brings clubbing power and physical strength Jack hasn’t seen in years.
Now, bring up Gilberto “Zurdo” Ramirez or Jai Opetaia, and that’s a different headline entirely. Paul has opened as a hefty +550 underdog against WBO champ Zurdo Ramirez at mybookie.ag. Zurdo’s got miles on the odometer, sure—but even looking flat against Yuniel Dorticos early, and bothered by Dorticos’ pop, he made the necessary adjustments and took over. That’s the kind of veteran savvy Jake doesn’t have yet. Paul would be a huge 15-to-1 boxing odds dog against ESPN2 News #12 ranked pound-4-pound entrant Jai Opetaia.
Jake Paul is no fool, he might go down as the most self-promoted athlete since Muhammad Ali, whose birthday he shares. But if he’s as smart as he seems, he’ll bring in someone like Milton LaCroix—the brash New York fight whisperer who had Jake’s older brother ready to fight Floyd Mayweather after just a year and a half of training. Milton doesn’t just teach boxing; he teaches staying relaxed.
However, before facing Jai Opetaia, Paul will need to address his stamina issues, defensive holes, and overall inexperience. Opetaia, is a polished southpaw with elite stamina and craftiness. LaCroix specializes in refining fighters’ defense and teaching them to jab off the hip with precision—the very style Paul favors. That kind of fine-tuning will be essential for Paul if he hopes to be ready to take on someone of Opetaia’s caliber.
Jake Paul’s still raw, no doubt—but with that explosiveness, smarter pacing, and the right corner behind him, we’re backing ‘El Gallo’ to grab that pretty WBC belt within a fight or two.
