Heavyweight legend Larry Holmes has offered his opinion on Jake Paul‘s time in boxing.
Paul rose to fame as a social media personality but got involved in boxing in 2018 and has since become one of the sport’s most controversial but commercially successful figures.
Despite many people initially viewing him as a celebrity boxer rather than a legitimate competitor, the American gradually built a professional record by defeating a mixture of fellow influencers, former MMA champions and ageing boxers.
Key moments along the way have included victories over the likes of Tyron Woodley, Anderson Silva and Nate Diaz, while he took his first professional loss to Tommy Fury in 2023, despite having the Brit down late on.
He got back on track with wins over several professional and crossover opponents before winning a fight with the almost 60-year-old former heavyweight champion Mike Tyson in November 2024.
Last time out in December 2025, he was knocked out inside six rounds by another former heavyweight champion in Anthony Joshua. He was dropped from the WBA’s rankings as a result and has since been recovering from a badly broken jaw.
Speaking to Canada Casino, Holmes gave short shrift to Paul’s skills in the ring.
“Jake Paul is not a true boxer, he should leave boxing to real fighters.”
Word is that 29-year-old Paul, who heads up MVP Promotions and has done plenty for women’s boxing, is hoping to return to the ring as a cruiserweight before the end of the year but has not ruled out a heavyweight fight against Francis Ngannou.
