The rise of social media influencer Jake Paul in boxing to the level of being linked with a world title shot is damaging to the sport.
Paul has been inundated with offers of fights since his depressing win against 58-year-old grandfather Mike Tyson at the weekend.
The eight two-minute rounds were a soul destroying circus show with absolutely no redeeming sporting credibility.
A journeyman boxer at best, Paul beating a ring legend 30 years his senior was sad and offers absolutely no representation of what boxing actually is.
Boxing is the noble art. With Paul-Tyson it veered into the realm of WWE spin-off.
Tyson’s boxing brain was still there, but his body wasn’t and the former world heavyweight champion was caught in quicksand for most of the fight.
The only saving factor from the farcical clash is Tyson wasn’t seriously injured.
Dubois title match talk is farcical
In the aftermath of Paul’s “win” against Tyson, the YouTuber turned boxer has apparently been inundated by offers of potential title fights.
Paul claims he will accept a clash with Daniel Dubois after the IBF heavyweight world champion reached out via Instagram to offer him a shot at the world belt.
A Dubois v Paul world title fight must never happen as the social media star is not ranked with the IBF.
Dubois is one of the top, and most dangerous, heavyweights in the world – and Paul has not faced any active boxer at that weight yet.
IBF champion Dubois is on a high after his stoppage win against Anthony Joshua.
A rematch with Joshua next year has been mooted, with fights against Joseph Parker and Fabio Wardley also being mentioned.
Any notion of Dubois facing Paul is farcical.
Paul has faced only one legitimate opponent
Although Paul’s record reads 11 wins and one loss his real return is one fight, one loss.
He has only faced one legitimate opponent who is an active boxer, Tommy Fury – and Paul suffered a split-decision loss.
The rest of his opponents have been social media influencers, former MMA fighters, a former basketball star and ageing boxers out of retirement.
Undisputed WBA, WBC, IBF and WBO light-heavyweight world champion Artur Beterbiev has also said he will put his belts on the line against Paul.
Paul is also talking about facing current super-middleweight Canelo Alvarez.
In the immediate aftermath of the Tyson fight, Paul said: “Canelo needs me, so I’m not even going to try and call him out.
“He knows he wants a payday. So, he knows where the money man is at…”
Paul banked $40m for the Tyson fight, with the 58-year-old landing $20m.
If Paul was not a social media sensation he would be a journeyman boxer on the lower end of a bill trying to create a ring career.
Disrespectful to boxers worldwide
For any body to sanction a fight against Dubois, Canelo or Beterbiev would be extremely reckless due to the danger to Paul.
And it would also be disrespectful to boxers worldwide who have dedicated their life to boxing and given everything in the bid to get a title shot – including young north fighters, like Aberdeen’s Celtic super-welterweight champion Dean Sutherland.
Boxers who get up every single morning for long runs, even in the darkest, coldest and bleakest of winter days, then after that early run or training session, they go to work a full-time job to support a family before training again in the gym in the evening.
Repeat day after day, month after month, year after year with no break.
That has been done since youth with multiple sacrifices along the way.
That is the price of boxing and title fights must be earned.
Jake wants to buy his – and it cannot be allowed to happen.
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