Eddie Hearn, who promoted the pro debut for Youtube star turned boxer, Jake Paul (6-0, 4 KOs), would like to see him face a boxer in his next fight.
Paul returned to the ring last month in Arizona, where he dropped and decisioned MMA legend Anderson Silva over eight rounds.
Since turning pro in 2020, Paul has displayed a lot of power in the ring. But, he's yet to face an actual boxer.
Hearn has no issue with Paul facing someone like Silva in his sixth pro bout.
"I haven’t seen the fight, I’ve only seen the knockdown, but I think you have to give him credit. Yes, he’s not fighting any real boxers yet, and yes Anderson Silva was 48, but it’s still an opponent for your sixth fight of a level where most prospects are fighting at," Hearn said to The DAZN Boxing Show.
"I think Jake is improving, he’s working hard, he does a lot of things wrong in the ring, but he’s not a boxer, he hasn’t been boxing for years and years. Now Jake really has to fight a boxer. He’s never going to the credit that he maybe wants or deserves until he actually fights a professional boxer. I believe he wants to do that; I’m guessing he will do that next."
Paul has been scheduled to face a pro boxer on three occasions.
He was set to face light heavyweight prospect Tommy Fury last year. Fury withdrew with a training injury. Then they were set to fight this past August, with Fury once again withdrawing after being denied entry into the United States. Fury was later replaced by heavyweight prospect Hasim Rahman Jr, who was pulled from the fight after citing that he was unable to make the contracted catch-weight.
Regarding which boxer Hearn would place Paul in the ring with, the veteran promoter stated - "Someone that he wouldn’t lose against."
On November 13 in Dubai, Paul will be ringside for Tommy Fury's ring return against Paul Bamba.