Boxing: WBA Champion Shocks Boxing World by Defending Jake Paul — Plus What’s Next for the YouTube Star-Turned-Contender

In a sport fueled by legacy, grit, and legitimacy, Jake Paul’s presence remains the ultimate disruption. Now, one world champion is unexpectedly coming to his defense.

WBA cruiserweight titleholder Gilberto “Zurdo” Ramirez is breaking ranks with his fellow contenders—by supporting Jake Paul’s controversial Top 15 placement in the official WBA rankings.

Paul, 9-1 as a pro, recently stunned the boxing community when he secured a unanimous decision victory over former world champion Julio Cesar Chavez Jr., earning him the No. 14 cruiserweight slot. The decision ignited a firestorm of criticism from veteran boxers and purists alike, forcing the WBA to place Paul’s ranking “under review.”

Yet amid the backlash, Ramirez—the division’s reigning king—delivered a shock of his own: he’s giving Paul credit.

🔥 Ramirez Backs Paul Amidst Firestorm of Criticism

In a recent interview with TMZ Sports, Ramirez pushed back on the narrative that Paul’s ranking is unearned.

“He made a statement, beat one of the former world champions from Mexico,” Ramirez said.
 “It was a great performance… and I give credit to Jake Paul. Everyone knows it wouldn’t be a fair fight—because I’m a champion, a world-class champion, No. 1 ranking—but he’s doing good in this sport.”

Paul and Ramirez briefly faced off after Paul’s victory over Chavez Jr., with the YouTuber-turned-fighter dismissing the champ as “easy work” and “too slow.” But rather than fuel the feud with contempt, Ramirez offered something more unexpected: acknowledgment.

Ramirez’s response stands in stark contrast to voices like interim WBC champ Vergil Ortiz Jr., who called Paul’s ranking “disrespectful to real fighters.” Multiple contenders have reportedly petitioned the WBA to reverse the ruling.

🏆 Title Paths Converging?

While Ramirez eyes undisputed unification, Jake Paul continues to push for a legitimate world title opportunity before calling it a career. Paul’s manager, Nakisa Bidarian, revealed the 27-year-old is targeting a return to the ring this November or December—depending on how the WBA review unfolds.

On the night Paul defeated Chavez, Ramirez retained his WBA and WBO titles with a clinical win over Yuniel Dorticos, marking his fourth consecutive victory since a 2022 loss to Dmitry Bivol.

Could Paul vs. Ramirez become reality in 2026?
 Could the sport’s most polarizing figure actually challenge for gold?

While Paul’s ranking remains under review, his presence continues to force boxing’s old guard to reckon with a new kind of spectacle—a fighter born not in gyms, but in algorithms.