In a move that has gotten a lot of attention in the boxing world, Jake Paul, who is best known for being a big internet personality, has officially earned a ranking from the World Boxing Association. This new ranking puts him alongside other professional fighters, marking a big step forward in his still fairly new boxing career.
The announcement, found by TMZ, which came late Monday night from the World Boxing Association, is strange because Paul has a habit of fighting opponents who have long left their prime or aren’t much of a challenge anymore. In fact, watching Paul’s fights makes me think about how far boxing has fallen just to keep an audience.
The exact details of Paul’s new ranking show that he is now number 14 in the cruiserweight division. This spot was confirmed after the WBA updated its official list of fighters. His inclusion in these rankings means that one of boxing’s major organizations has officially recognized him as a professional fighter, something he didn’t have before in such a traditional system. Now, Paul’s progress as a boxer will be measured against other ranked fighters in the cruiserweight class.
Jake Paul is a real boxer now
The reason for this big ranking comes down to his most recent fight. Paul’s win over the weekend against former champion Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. was the key moment that led to this. Before the fight, Gilberto Mendoza, the president of the World Boxing Association, had publicly said that if Paul won, he would be added to the rankings. This statement before the fight made it clear what Paul needed to do to earn a professional ranking, and his victory over Chavez Jr. met that condition.
The win not only gave him another professional victory but also immediately moved him up in the WBA’s official rankings, just as Mendoza had said it would. This is how he ended up in the number 14 spot. This ranking has major implications for Paul’s future in boxing. Being number 14 in the cruiserweight division means he is now eligible to fight for the WBA cruiserweight championship. This opens the door for him to compete for a major world title, which is a huge deal for any professional boxer.
Jake the type of guy to somehow become the #1 ranked fighter without actually beating a ranked fighter
— Brandon Woodward (@woo20386) June 30, 2025
The current WBA cruiserweight champion is Gilberto “Zurdo” Ramirez, a tough opponent with an impressive record. Ramirez, who is 34 years old, has 47 wins and only one loss, with 30 of those wins coming by knockout. He also holds the World Boxing Organization championship, proving he’s one of the best in the division.
Ramirez was also fighting on the same Most Valuable Promotions event in Anaheim on Saturday, where he won by unanimous decision against Yuniel Dorticos, showing he’s still a dominant force in the weight class. Paul likely won’t fight the champ, as that’s a real fight, but you never know.
