Jake Paul confirms he’ll fight weeks after Bourland win against mystery opponent
YouTube: Official Jake PaulJake Paul, fresh off a dominant first-round TKO of Ryan Bourland, already has a confirmed date for his next fight.
Jake Paul’s latest opponent, Ryan Bourland, is an aging boxer with only one fight in the past five years.
As such, Paul entered the ring as the heavy favorite, and mere moments after the opening bell, it was clear to see why.
Bourland couldn’t keep up with Paul’s speed or power, as the YouTuber-turned-boxer outclassed the former Golden Gloves champion.
Paul predicted a second-round knockout of Bourland in the lead-up. But as he jokingly said after the fight, he was too generous with that guess.
Assessing candidates for Jake Paul’s next fight
Only two days after notching a second straight first-round stoppage, Paul already has a date for his next boxing match.
On X, Paul announced that April 26 would mark his return to the ring. But he did not mention who the fight would be with, leaving fans to speculate.
While several rumors are swirling regarding Paul’s potential opponent in April, one fighter stands above the rest as the most likely choice. But let’s address two other rumors first.
Ryan Garcia
Notably, Garcia has been calling Paul out nonstop over the past few weeks. It all came to a head last weekend when Garcia claimed Paul is “disrespecting boxing.”
After Paul’s recent victory against Bourland, reporters asked about this comment. He downplayed a potential fight, saying that Garcia doesn’t deserve it and if it happens, it will be “light work” for Paul.
Between Paul’s disinterest, Garcia’s ongoing concerns, and the fact Garcia is slated to meet Devin Haney on April 20, this match won’t happen — at least, not in April.
Canelo Alvarez
Jake Paul challenging Canelo Alvarez is a pipe dream for multiple reasons. First, Alvarez is amongst the most established boxers in the world.
Also, the multi-time world champion will reportedly fight Jaime Munguia on May 4, only one week after Paul’s confirmed date of April 26.
Fighting Alvarez would be by far and away the biggest challenge of Paul’s short career, as the champion-level boxer boasts a career record of 60-2-2.
It won’t happen in April, but if Paul can continue making headway in the boxing world, there’s always a chance of a money fight taking place later down the road.
Neeraj Goyat
Paul’s next opponent will likely be Neeraj Goyat. He is a rising Indian boxer who has been trading verbal blows with Paul. The most famous instance is a recent parking lot stare-down between the two on social media.
As Paul has stated, there is plenty of money to be made in a potential fight with Goyat, especially if it takes place in his home country of India.
Paul has mentioned that fighting in India and expanding his brand to another country excites him. “He’s India’s biggest and best boxer. Maybe one day, we’ll see,” Paul said of Goyat.
That one day could be April 26. Until Paul confirms a venue, and his next opponent, Goyat sits as the front runner.