Social media star Jake Paul has fully transitioned into a boxer and wants to continue on the same trajectory by taking on global boxing icon Canelo Alvarez.
Paul has repeatedly stated his wish to fight Alvarez, who is the only undisputed super middleweight champion in history. The Mexican boxer also holds a wealth of experience in comparison to Paul, who is only nine fights old in professional boxing.
However, Paul is confident of his chances to land a matchup as he directed attention toward the commercial potential of the fight and Alvarez’s shrewd business acumen.
In an interview with MMA Fighting ahead of his bout with Andre August, Paul said:
“I think it’s very very realistic. People may think that sounds crazy but Canelo [Alvarez] is a smart businessman and at the end of the day, he just wants to do big fights and make huge entertainment products. And my skillset is improving every single day. And that’s what doing fights like this are about, taking on real professional fighters so that eventually I can take on tougher fighters and I see Canelo vs. Jake Paul happening in the next 24 months.”
Check out Paul’s full comments below (2:42):
Jake Paul explains his fight against Andre August as a shift toward “real boxing”
Jake Paul’s time in professional boxing has mostly been spent fighting retired UFC legends and champions, but he has nonetheless found success against them commercially and via a result.
However, Paul now intends to transition to his goal of becoming a boxing champion and would like to take on professional boxers. Jake Paul explained in a recent interview on The MMA Hour that he had generated enough money from the sport and would now focus on “real boxing.”
He said about his latest fight against American pro boxer Andre August:
“This is me acting like a boxing prospect. It’s me building my experience in the ring, taking challenges… Working, working, working. This is the time I need to be able to get to that level of being the best in the world.
“That’s where I’m going to be and that’s where I have my mind set on. It’s my biggest goal and this is the path to get there. It’s no longer about business and making all this money. I’ve already generated $250 million, $200 million in pay-per-view sales. We’ve done that. Great. Congratulations. This is about real boxing now.”
Check out Paul’s full comments below (1:00):