Undisputed light-heavyweight champion Artur Beterbiev has again called out Jake Paul after the rookie’s underwhelming win over Mike Tyson, telling the social media sensation that it is “time to have serious challenges”.
Paul, who lost one of his three bouts against active boxers when he was beaten on points by Tommy Fury in 2023, fancifully claimed he wanted to face Beterbiev – one of the most feared names in the sport – after winning on points against 58-year-old heavyweight icon Tyson on Saturday.
Unbeaten Beterbiev responded by telling Paul that he is “always open to suggestions”, leading the ex-Disney Channel star to laugh on Sunday: “Just seen this: top five pound-for-pound fighter in the world calling me out. Four years in and I run this sport.”
Beterbiev retorted on Monday: “After four years, it’s time to have serious challenges. Didn’t notice your acceptance or rejection. So what are we gonna do?”
After four years it’s time to have serious challenges. Didn’t notice your acceptance or rejection. So what are we gonna do?
— Artur Beterbiev (@ABeterbiev) November 18, 2024
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Paul vs Beterbiev: Champion’s record
Russian-Canadian Beterbiev added the WBA (Super), IBO and vacant The Ring titles to his WBC, IBF and WBO belts when he handed fellow modern great Dmitry Bivol the first defeat of his career on October 12.
One of the hardest punchers in the sport, all 20 of Beterbiev’s previous bouts had ended in stoppages before his much-anticipated meeting with Bivol in Riyadh.
At 39, Beterbiev may see Paul as a huge and comfortable payday after the 27-year-old attracted a reported crowd of more than 72,000 to his mismatch with the worryingly faded Tyson, whose performance reflected a middle-aged man taking part in his first professional contest for almost 20 years.
🥊🔥🇸🇦❤️👑🤴 pic.twitter.com/9ZKwPtFD4J
— TURKI ALALSHIKH (@Turki_alalshikh) October 12, 2024
The attendance at Texas’ AT&T Stadium was a record for an indoor boxing bout as part of a much-heralded event that was shown on Netflix, which said more than 60 million households around the world had tuned in.
Those figures would make a scrap with Paul by far the most lucrative of Beterbiev’s career, but a fully-sanctioned professional bout with a champion of his potential opponent’s stature may not be as competitively appealing for the younger antagonist.
Jake Paul boxing record
Paul’s 12 boxing matches have included several wins over MMA fighters well past their peak, including Anderson Silva and Nate Diaz, and a brutal knockout of former NBA player Nate Robinson.
He beat former UFC wildman Mike Perry in July, scoring a knockdown in the second round before flattening the Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship competitor in a corner in the sixth round.
Despite building an 8-0 record and being the younger brother of former world heavyweight champion Tyson Fury, Tommy Fury had never faced an opponent near world-title level before beating Paul by split decision in Saudi Arabia.
Image: MVP
