Jake Paul has checked off many names from the original 2021 “hit list” he posted as he transitioned from social-media star to accomplished pro pugilist — but the list never really stops evolving. After a scheduled exhibition with Gervonta Davis was scrapped this fall amid legal trouble surrounding Davis, Paul and his team have assembled a fresh set of high-profile targets he says will “keep me busy for a few years.”
Paul’s rise has been unconventional: he started with celebrity and crossover opponents — AnEsonGib, Nate Robinson, Ben Askren — and moved to bigger-name fighters, scoring wins over Tyron Woodley (twice), Nate Diaz, Anderson Silva and others, while also suffering a split-decision loss to Tommy Fury. That success made previously improbable matchups conceivable, and Paul now wants to chase even bigger challenges and paydays.
Here’s a condensed look at the fighters Paul is pursuing and the realistic prospects of those fights happening.
Terence Crawford (undisputed super middleweight)
Paul calls a bout with Terence Crawford a “megafight” and respects Crawford as one of the era’s best pound-for-pound fighters. For Crawford, however, legacy has been more important than money, and he has not fully committed to continuing his career. Promoters close to Paul say Crawford is wired differently and would likely prioritize more meaningful boxing milestones over a payday-heavy crossover. In short: huge on paper, but remote in practice unless Crawford wants a payday rather than another legacy chase.
KSI (YouTuber-turned-boxer)
A Paul-KSI showdown has been discussed for years — KSI fought Paul’s brother Logan twice and later built his own Misfits Boxing brand. Paul says he hasn’t heard much from KSI’s camp recently and views this matchup as less realistic at the moment. Still, some insiders believe the commercial logic is too strong for the fight not to happen eventually, particularly if both sides see it as the biggest payday available.
Alex Pereira (UFC light heavyweight champion)
With Conor McGregor off his list, Paul is eyeing top MMA talents, and Alex Pereira’s name comes up as an intriguing crossover. Pereira’s team has been receptive in preliminary talks, but the primary obstacle would be UFC contractual control. If Pereira could get clearance, promoters say it would be a massive event — and the UFC would have to decide whether to let one of its marquee strikers take a boxing bout with Paul.
Anthony Joshua (former unified heavyweight champion)
Paul has pushed back on criticism he only fights smaller opponents and has openly proposed taking on a true heavyweight test: Anthony Joshua. Size and power make Joshua a dangerous challenge, perhaps more so than some technically superior but smaller boxers. An early-2026 date was floated, but Joshua’s elbow surgery and recovery timeline complicate scheduling. Still, among the big-name boxers on Paul’s radar, Joshua is one of the likeliest to accept if timelines and money align.
Tommy Fury (rematch)
Tommy Fury handed Paul his only pro loss in 2023, and Paul has made a rematch a personal priority. Negotiations have been hindered by Fury’s team and father asking for steep guarantees, which Paul’s camp calls unreasonable. For Paul this is the fight that’s less about business and more about settling unfinished business; whether the price is met will determine if the rematch happens.
Oleksandr Usyk (undisputed heavyweight champion — MMA angle)
Usyk has publicly challenged Paul and even hinted he might move to MMA or take cage fights after his boxing career winds down. Paul has put Usyk on his MMA wish list and is intrigued by the idea of testing himself in a mixed-rules environment, where wrestling, kicking and jiu-jitsu would be allowed. That matchup would be a novelty spectacle with major promotional hurdles but huge curiosity value.
Canelo Alvarez (four-division champ)
A Canelo bout was previously agreed to before Canelo signed a multiyear deal tied to Saudi-backed boxing initiatives and appeared to step away from the matchup. Paul recently met with Turki Alalshikh, the Saudi entertainment figure who helped arrange some of Canelo’s plans, and says there is renewed hope that the fight can be resurrected. Canelo’s next steps after his loss to Crawford are unclear, so a blockbuster with Paul remains a possibility if the right financial and promotional framework is put together.
Ryan Garcia (welterweight contender)
Once friends, Paul and Ryan Garcia have a public history of conflict that would fuel major interest if they fought. Garcia remains a massive social-media draw despite setbacks in the ring, and industry insiders say a Paul-vs-Garcia fight would make huge commercial sense — potentially in 2026 or 2027 — provided both sides buy in. It’s one of the more plausible blockbuster matchups on Paul’s list.
What Paul and his team say
Paul frames the new list as a test of limits rather than a publicity stunt. He points to steady improvement and big financial incentives as the keys that make marquee matchups possible. Nakisa Bidarian, co-founder of Paul’s promotion partner, regularly underlines that while some targets prioritize legacy over money, others could be persuaded if the payday and platform are right. The biggest recurring obstacles are legacy-minded champions, contractual control (especially with UFC fighters), and the economics demanded by certain camps — notably in the Fury negotiations.
Bottom line
Paul has moved from novelty bouts to fights against established names in boxing and MMA. Some targets — Crawford and Usyk — are unlikely or complicated by legacy ambitions and career direction. Others — Joshua, Canelo, Garcia, Pereira (if contractual issues can be solved) and a rematch with Fury if demands are met — are realistic possibilities, each presenting different risks and rewards. For Paul, the goal remains the same: keep testing himself in high-profile events that push boundaries and generate outsized interest and paydays.
