Getty Jake Paul throws a left at Nate Diaz during their fight in Dallas in 2023.
Jake Paul confirmed Tuesday that he’ll return to the ring March 2 in a co-main event for a boxing match against little-known opponent Ryan Bourland.
The event takes place at the Coliseo Jose Miguel Agrelot in San Juan, Puerto Rico and will air on DAZN.
“On Saturday, March 2 as co-main to the Puerto Rican GOAT, Amanda Serrano, I’m fighting for experience,” he said on X, the social media site formerly known as Twitter.
In 2023, Paul and his handlers at Most Valuable Promotions (MVP) underwent a significant strategical shift in how they navigated the boxing world.
Paul’s first two fights in 2020 were against AnEsonGib, a fellow creator, and then Nate Robinson, a former basketball player.
Through 2021 and into 2022, Paul targeted MMA fighters and even former UFC champions.
He famously knocked out Ben Askren in brutal fashion, earned a split decision win and then a knockout over Tyron Woodley in back-to-back fights, before defeating Anderson Silva on points.
After that stint trolling and beating MMA fighters, Paul took on his biggest challenge to date in 2023 when he fought Tommy Fury — a fellow novice boxer — in Diriyah, Saudi Arabia, but lost by split decision.
After a 10-round decision win over MMA icon Nate Diaz in August last year, Paul has, since then, taken on athletes who have actual experience in boxing.
In December, he beat Andre August by first-round knockout and he now will face off against Bourland as the chief support to a main event between MVP fighter Amanda Serrano and Nina Meinke — a featherweight contest that has the IBF, IBO, WBA, and WBO world titles on the line.
But August and Bourland Have Barely Fought in Recent Years
Though August and Bourland are actual boxers, unlike many of Paul’s past opponents, they do have one thing in common.
Before competing against Paul, August had fought just once since 2019. Inactivity proved to be to his detriment as he lost in lightning-quick fashion.
Similarly, Bourland’s sole fight since 2018 is a bout against Santorio Martin in 2022.
Paul’s upcoming fight in March, by contrast, will be his 10th fight since 2020. He is clearly the more active boxer in the sport.
Paul’s Mission is ‘Simple,’ he Said
The shift in boxing strategy is down to one thing — Paul is on a quest to rise up the cruiserweight rankings in the sport, and to, hopefully, compete in a legitimate world championship bout in the future.
“The goal is simple,” said Paul on X. “[To] build the skillset to become world champion.
“Next up is a guy who has twice as many professional fights under his belt than I do.
“Ryan ‘The Rhino’ Bourland. And just like the animal in his bone chilling nickname … he is also endangered.”
The goal is simple, build the skillset to become world champion. Next up is a guy who has twice as many professional fights under his belt than I do. Ryan “The Rhino” Bourland. And just like the animal in his bone chilling nickname… he is also endangered😂😅
On Saturday, March…
Boxrec, an online record-keeper in boxing, has an algorithm that ranks the world’s fighters.
Paul, its algorithm says, is ranked 129 out of 1,196 fighters in the 200-pound division.
Current world champions in that division include Chris Billam-Smith who holds the WBO title, Arsen Goulamirian who holds the WBA title, and Norair Mikaeljan who holds the WBC title.
The IBF title is currently vacant.