Jake Paul drops out of WBA cruiserweight rankings after loss to Anthony Joshua

Paul removed from WBA top 15 after Joshua KO
Fight drew 33m global viewers on Netflix
Loss followed brief cruiserweight ranking run

Jake Paul has fallen out of the World Boxing Association’s cruiserweight rankings after his sixth-round knockout loss to Anthony Joshua last month.

The YouTuber was stopped by the former two-time heavyweight champion in a scheduled eight-round bout in Miami, where Joshua scored four knockdowns before the referee halted the contest in the sixth round. Paul suffered a broken jaw in two places and required surgery after the fight.

Paul (12-2, 7 KOs) had entered the WBA’s cruiserweight rankings at No 14 in July after defeating Julio César Chávez Jr by unanimous decision in Anaheim, California. He was listed at No 15 entering the bout against Joshua, despite the fight taking place at heavyweight and carrying no ranking implications in that division.

The loss was Paul’s first defeat since losing a split decision to Tommy Fury in 2023 and ended his brief run in the WBA’s top 15.

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Joshua, who was returning after a knockout loss to Daniel Dubois in September 2024, said afterwards that his aim was to “pin [Paul] down and hurt him”.

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Jake Paul’s aspirations of becoming a world champion at cruiserweight have been dented, two weeks on from his loss to Anthony Joshua.

“The Problem Child” suffered a sixth-round knockout defeat to Joshua in their heavyweight clash on December 19 but Paul, who suffered a broken jaw during the contest, remained in positive spirits as he spoke about the future.

“We’re going to heal the broken jaw, come back and fight people my weight and go for the cruiserweight world title,” he said. “I’m going to take a little break. I’ve been going hard for six years. I’m going to take some time off.”

Tyson Fury threatens Anthony Joshua ahead of Jake Paul fight

Paul has had two titanium plates fitted and some teeth removed after his jaw was broken, meaning he faces at least nine months on the sideline to recover, according to a report from the Daily Mail.

On top of that, the YouTuber-turned-boxer has officially dropped out of the World Boxing Association (WBA) cruiserweight rankings, just five months after he was inducted at No. 14 following his victory over former middleweight champion Julio Cesar Chavez Jr.

Paul’s defeat to Joshua was reflected in the WBA’s latest schedule update, which was released on January 1.

Anthony Joshua broke Jake Paul’s jaw in their bout. Image: Getty

What are the chances that Paul gets ranked again in the WBA’s cruiserweight standings? It will be difficult to bounce back from the broken jaw, but Paul says he is not considering retirement.

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Jake Paul backed to “worm his way” into world title fight after Joshua defeat

Paul’s training partner David Adeleye believes the American is only a few regional wins away from earning himself a title shot.

“I see him getting back in the ring in 2026 to prove a point,” he told talkSPORT. “At what level nobody knows? It depends on his motivation. If he stays grounded they may match him perfectly.

“I think he could end up worming his way into a world title shot if he beats people at regional level in America. If he chooses certain fights and gets ranked top ten at the cruiserweight division, it could be a voluntary defence.

“If you are a champion, and you can get a certain amount of money, why not? You would take it.”

Adeleye added: “Getting a world title fight, I’m not saying he’s going to win it, but 100 per cent I think he could box for one. Beating the champion is a different ball game though.”