- Jake Paul has attempted to rank the world's best boxers in some kind of order.
- It's not actually that terrible a list.
- The biggest twist is that the novice boxer didn't include himself.
This is Jake Paul, a burgeoning novice boxer with a pro record of 5-0 (4 knockouts).
Internet celebrity Jake Paul has taken the combat sports world by storm.
The 25-year-old returns to the ring for an October 29 match at the Gila River Arena in Glendale, Arizona, against MMA legend Anderson Silva on Showtime pay-per-view.
It is the toughest test Paul has faced in his burgeoning boxing career to date, having previously breezed past AnEsonGib, Nate Robinson, Ben Askren, and Tyron Woodley (twice).
Ahead of the event, Paul ranked the world's best boxers during an episode of his new podcast, "BS."
Some pound-for-pound lists are serious but occasionally the intention appears to wind people up and generate a rage click.
Considering the reaction Paul has already received, his list has been a resounding success.
Keep scrolling to see his top 10.
10: Naoya Inoue — bantamweight
Paul said Inoue's inclusion is "self explanatory."
Source: Jake Paul / Twitter.
9: David Benavidez — super middleweight
"David Benavidez is being ducked by everyone in his weight class and has obliterated top-level talent," Paul said, "which puts him on the list as arguably one of the most feared people in the sport."
Source: Jake Paul / Twitter.
8: Jermell Charlo — super welterweight
Jermell Charlo, who holds all of boxing's major world championships at super welterweight, deserves to be ranked in any publication's top-10 list because, according to Paul, "How can you not have undisputed champions on your lists?!"
Source: Jake Paul / Twitter.
7: Devin Haney — lightweight
Devin Haney's inclusion in Paul's ranking follows his reasoning for having Charlo in his list — it's all because, like his fellow American, he holds all of the world's major championships in his division.
Undisputed champions, according to Paul, have to be ranked in top-10 lists. Otherwise, "Y'all are goofy."
Source: Jake Paul / Twitter.
6: Shakur Stevenson — lightweight
"Shakur making easy work of everyone in his weight class … is such a statement," Paul said of Stevenson, an unbeaten American navigating through the lighter weight classes.
"He gives me young Floyd [Mayweather] flashbacks."
Source: Jake Paul / Twitter.
5: Amanda Serrano and Katie Taylor — lightweight
"Moving on, it pisses me off that most pound-for-pound lists don't include Amanda or Katie," Paul said regarding his inclusion of Serrano and Taylor, who fought in one of the year's most significant events in April.
"Like wtf," he added. "This is boxing, not just men's boxing, and both have a lot more accolades than some names y'all put on your shitty lists."
Though Taylor won a decision against Serrano in New York City earlier in 2022, Paul's reasoning for including both in the same rank was because "the judges robbed" Serrano of the win.
He also said that at a lighter weight, "Taylor would be KO'd and we all know it. Can't argue, otherwise 10 years bad luck."
Source: Jake Paul / Twitter.
4: Oleksandr Usyk — heavyweight
"What Usyk has done from cruiserweight to heavyweight has been impressive and his dominance, versatility, and boxing ability is second to none," Paul said.
Source: Jake Paul / Twitter.
3: Dmitry Bivol and Artur Beterbiev — light heavyweight
Paul's pick for No. 3 is another tie, with Eastern European boxers Dmitry Bivol and Artur Beterbiev sharing the spot.
"Artur Beterbiev is the only current champion who holds all KO's and that's not talked about enough," said Paul, regarding Beterbiev's punching power.
On Canelo's conqueror Bivol, Paul said: "Bivol being in the same weight class means they need to settle who's better."
Source: Jake Paul / Twitter.
2: Errol Spence Jr. and Terence Crawford — welterweights
Unable to split America's elite welterweight boxers Errol Spence Jr. and Terence Crawford, Paul said he just wants to see them fight to decide who is the better boxer.
"Terence and Errol is obvious and all it just needs to be settled," he said.
Source: Jake Paul / Twitter.
1: Tyson Fury — heavyweight
"Tyson Fury has been so dominant in the heavyweight division for so long," Paul said, regarding his pick for the world's No. 1 boxer.
"He beats every heavyweight by KO/TKO including Usyk, and there hasn't been a heavyweight in the history of the sport who hasn't fallen off eventually.
"Tyson Fury has remained on top and I think will retire on top."
Source: Jake Paul / Twitter.
One glaring omission: Saul 'Canelo' Alvarez — super middleweight
The omission of Saul 'Canelo' Alvarez is a glaring one.
Alvarez had been the consensus No. 1 fighter in the entire sport until he was upset in defeat to Dmitry Bivol in May.
Many publications, Insider included, still rank Alvarez as a top-10 fighter.
However, for Paul, Canelo is "off the list" because Bivol beat him at light heavyweight, would beat him at 168, and because "Canelo [is] ducking Benavidez and [Jermall] Charlo."
Source: Jake Paul / Twitter.
Jake Paul's full reasoning for his power ranking is below.
"You can disagree with this list," Paul said in a closing comment. "But that just means you have 0 IQ and are sexist and don't love your mom."
—Jake Paul (@jakepaul) September 29, 2022If pound-for-pound boxing lists are designed to drive conversation, Paul's ranking is by no means terrible.
It has enough controversy — including Amanda Serrano tied with Katie Taylor, despite her loss to the Irishwoman, as well as the omission of Canelo — to force people to comment.
The only surprise is that Paul didn't rank himself.
ncG1vNJzZmivp6x7o8HSoqWeq6Oeu7S1w56pZ5ufonyrrcqeZKmZpaF6s63NpJydZaSdsm7Dzqujnatdl7K0wIybprGdoqh6c3yRa2Ry