Jake Paul is in the market for his next opponent after talks with Saul ‘Canelo‘ Alvarez collapsed.
The controversial media superstar is 11-1 in his boxing campaign, with his most high profile wins coming over former UFC fighters like Anderson Silva and Nate Diaz as well as in a highly-criticised bout with 58-year-old Mike Tyson.
Paul, to the shock of many, then entered talks with current unified super-middleweight champion Canelo. Those fell apart at the eleventh hour, with the Mexican instead opting to sign a four-fight deal with Riyadh Season that will include a September clash with fellow pound-for-pound star Terence Crawford.
Paul’s team has released a statement assuring fans that there are other big names in the running. One man who has thrown his hat in the ring late in the game is Andy Ruiz, the first ever heavyweight champion of the world of Mexican descent.
Ruiz Jr was thrust into the spotlight as a late replacement for Anthony Joshua’s American debut back in 2019. He shocked the world with a seventh round stoppage win, handing ‘AJ’ his first loss and snatching three world title belts.
The 35-year-old fighting out of California lost in an immediate rematch six months later and has failed to rediscover his form, taking two years out before scoring wins over Chris Arreola and Luis Ortiz and, last August, a controversial draw against Jarrell Miller.
Now recovered from a serious hand injury suffered during the Miller bout, Ruiz is looking to get under the big lights once more. To do that, he is willing to face Paul, commenting on the 28-year-old’s Instagram post that confirmed the Canelo talks were off.
“I’m down to fight my brother. Let me know. It would be an honour for my fans and my Mexican people.”
Who Paul faces next is anybody’s guess, but the odds are firmly stacked against Ruiz, who offers wildly high risk and nowhere near the reward Canelo would.
