Celebrity cruiserweight Jake Paul has announced his next opponent, again a pro boxer. Paul (8-1, 5 KOs) will face Ryan Bourland (17-2, 6 KOs) on March 2 at the Coliseo Jose Miguel Agrelot in San Juan, Puerto Rico. Bourland, 35, last fought in 2022 and his previous fight before that was in 2018.
Jake Paul: “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 2 as co-main to the Puerto Rican GOAT Amanda Serrano, I’m fighting for experience and to show my love to the island I call home. I’ll be donating my entire fight purse to my nonprofit Boxing Bullies to help renovate gyms across Puerto Rico.”
Where does he find these “pro boxers”, looks like he goes to the tip and picks the one at the top of the garbage pile
Before everybody piles on JP and the unknown he is facing ask yourself with 9 pro fights who should be face? Look up your favorit pro fighter and see who they faced in their ninth pro fight and also remember JP has no amateur background. Ill use Canelo’s 9th fight as an example just because JP keeps mentioning him. So in Canelos 9th fight he faced Daniel Martinez who was 0-1-0. You cant hate him and then expect more of him that other pro fighters. Mayweather Jr’s 9th fight was against Jesus Chavez who was 1-13-1. Oscar De La Hoya at least faced Renaldo Carter who was 27-4-1. Tyson Fury faced Tomas Mrazek who was 4-22-5.
All this to say JP is a new boxer with no background. You either agree that he is new and needs to work his way up or you thing he is and unstoppable force who needs zero improvements and should be facing world champion level fighters.
You cant say he has no skills and bad mouth him for working his way up the ladder. He should also get some praise for stepping out of the main event spotlight and opening that up for Serrano.
JP is not at the world championship level and needs to work himself up the ladder. I would expect him to stay at this current level until at least 15 fights in and then see where he is at. I wont hate on anyone who is putting in the work and devoting themselves to the sport, has the courage to step into that ring and risk their life for our enjoyment. This is not a person who needs boxing. He has more to lose than to gain. He could have stayed on the influencer side and held those pretend titles like KSI is doing, but hes risking things to try and become a real world champion.
FYI KSI is listed as a CW Champion and defended his “title” with Fury, but is still listed as champion after that loss. There is real boxing and play boxing. Just because JP started in the kiddy pool side of things I dont think its fair to bash him when he seems to be wanting to make a serious run at this.
Thats wild, I actually know Ryan Bourland. He’s from the Bay Area and retired from boxing and moved to North Dakota 5 years ago to work in the oil fields. I guess he eventually resumed his career there. Good for him. He got off to a late start in boxing but worked super hard and turned pro in a shortly after. He has insane work ethic , but in all honesty, he’s what you’d call a club fighter back in the day. Hes gotta be close to 40 now? It’d be kinda like Rocky story if he were to win. I wish him the best. Its too bad a guy who toiled in the sport for years with limited success, had to retire because he was unable to make a living at it, only to come back for a decent pay day against a YouTube star.
Derrick, are you JP’s publicist? He can fight a little bit, and obviously keeps training and fighting for whatever reason, but, he’s a fraud, period. Who, exactly does he “influence”, and under what capacity? It’s the world we live in, that has some of us “Old School” folks a little confused. I watched some of his “influencer” videos with him and his brother, and the first thing that came to my mind was; “society is doomed”. Tatoos, multiple nose rings, teenagers identifying as cats, hair dye, increase in mental illness, COVID vaccinations, the collapse of the traditional family, Brazilian butlifts, social media, hair weaves, 6 inch eyelashes, ESPN has turned into a club scene with the way some of the reporters dress (don’t totally dislike for obvious reasons), and youtube sensation boxers. We are heading for the Hunger Games. 90 percent of millennials think that they are going to be famous like him and others, but they end up with mental health issues, because they don’t, and spend 16 hours per day on their phone and social media platforms. Thanks for giving to the boxing gyms of PR, though, JP, that is a good gesture.
DMV, Man, thought I would never agree with you, but I guess today is the day. I even thumbed it up for you. You were pretty spot on too. I think I’m going to buy a lottery ticket. And no, this is not sarcasm either.
DMV
I don’t know JP. I’m also not a fan of his influencer things he does. He and I don’t share anything in common other than being a fan of boxing. I’m just a fan of boxing whos watched almost every fight for the last 40 years. I started watching when I was 10 and have been a fan ever since. I miss the Friday night fights and all the off channel shows before the internet was a thing. Happy to exchange thoughts on boxing with anybody in a way that’s not offensive to other fans just because we may not always agree. Ill try to respond to each item.
1. Not a fan of JP as an influencer, but am a fan of him as a Boxer. I was on the fence until he faced Woodly. I thought he was going to get dropped hard in that fight.
2. As for him being a fraud as an influencer because I only watch his fights and the fight conferences. Whatever influencing videos or whatever else he does I’m out of the loop on those.
3. Anything to do with his brother I have less thoughts on because I think his brother is a scammer, a very poor “boxer” who has a look, but no skills. He throws arm punches and I would not support him at all as a boxer and less as anything else.
4. As for all the looks things like tattoos, piercings and so on I have no thoughts either way. Its not my thing and Im not drawn in by that look in general. Im 50 and have three tattoos. One my wife wanted me to have a key and her a lock. One of Jason because Im a huge horror film fan and it covers a huge scar I got when I was 8. And one on the opposite side to be symmetrical. The only hair coloring I have is grey from age. So if thats what these two brothers are influencing people on its nothing Im interested in at all.
So based on your comments it seems like you and I would agree on most things. I dont know or keep up with the influencer side of things. It seems like you have unfortunately had to see some of that and I’ve been lucky to avoid it. Im able to see a person and separate and judge based solely on the area im interested in. So all the influencing aside Jake Paul as a new boxer and as a boxer only I think he is invested in the sport. He seems to be taking it seriously and I think he is taking on what can be considered a challenge considering he only has a few real fights. I have boxed, but mostly done martial arts. I personally dont think Id do well against a pro fighter whos 17-2 in my weight class. Even given the long breaks this guy has. Also based on other pro boxers coming up I think this type of record is more that we as long time boxing fans would expect to see. You seem to be about the same age as me. We have both seen boxers careers from start to finish because they dont last long. Remember David Reed? His 9th fight in he faced Nick Rupa who was 29-5-0 and thats fairly comparative to what JP is facing. The major exception is Reed was a decorated Amateur with two gold medals. As a boxing fan Im just saying we all again as fans should not expect a lot out of the guys JP is being matched up with. At least not yet. Had JP continued down the road he started by facing older retired UFC guys I would be right there with you complaining about Boxings sites covering that garbage. He faced Fury and with the loss I saw a very Amateurish boxer, but one who was trying. He then went backwards and faced another smaller older UFC guy and I was ready to write him off as a celebrity boxer type who shouldnt be covered here with real boxers. Then he said its real boxers from now on so I stuck in there and will as long as he is serious. I do see where you are coming from and honestly if Fightnews was coming the other “boxers” from youtube Id be complaining too, but its my understanding that he wants no part of that and wants to be taken seriously as a boxer and want to face real boxers. So as long as he holds true Ill watch because he is an entertaining boxer. If he slides back into the youtube garbage Ill be right next to you complaining about it. Until then Isay lets give this Amateur a chance. We dont have to all become crazy fans, but lets be honest that a guy this new to boxing should be facing the level guys he is finding. As far as that influencing crap hopefully the real world will slap them in the face and they can break their backs supporting their families like we did and do.
Great commenting with you.
Hey pal I agree with your points. If JP wasn’t a know commodity before he started boxing nobody would bat an eye about his choice of opponents up to this point. He’s obviously trying to improve and he seems to treat the fighters on his card well when he’s involved with promotion. Boxing could do way worse than this guy
Please go away and take your equally tiresome brother with you.
Killa King, miracles do happen.
Killa King, miracles do happen. Never been one to condemn one for their political opinion, we are all entitled to one.
Ok, so you like couldn’t give me a thumbs up for once?
excellent,
jake paul is working harder than most.
and, is Good for boxing
Nobody cares!!
JP is not a boxer but he’s doing boxing and all the millennials (with or without daddy’s money) are supporting him and that’s what’s all about. Good luck for him while it lasts. He’ll never fight for a world championship, we all know that, even his fans. He’s a smart man, not an idiot despite his “influence” persona
– Don’t give a rat’s rectal opening about The Jake Paul Show, but at least he gets the undercard fighters exposure and $$$…….
What a world we live in. A side show is getting more publicity and higher paychecks than those who have dedicated their entire lives to mastering their craft and who show talent many levels above what JP will ever achieve. It’s kind of bittersweet because he still brings new faces to the sport and creating a buzz about it. I don’t take him serious, but I give him props for what he’s doing.
We basically live in a spam culture. Basically an influencer can be anybody. Just post and post excessively on any particular topic and you can deem yourself an influencer. Not expert, but influencer. Most of these people are uneducated who just babble about subjects they aren’t qualified to have an advise people on. Just trolls with a mobile device or camera phone. Sad pathetic world we live in.
AMANDA SERRANO is leaving an indelible mark in women’s boxing!! The way she carries herself inside as well as outside the ring is admirable!!
Where would Jake Pauls career be now if he wasn’t a YouTube star? If he was just a guy who at 23, developed a passion for boxing and decided to become a professional boxer. Four years later, where would a non famous Youtuber Jake Pauls career be?
A monumental farce that is an insult to the sport and its dedicated participants. Something must be done ASAP as actual fighters should be getting this money.