Johnny Nelson: AJ won’t fight Jake Paul until he’s 45

Former cruiserweight world champion Johnny Nelson has told NewBettingSites.uk that boxer and influencer Jake Paul will have to wait until Anthony Joshua is 45 years old before he can arrange a blockbuster bout with the British heavyweight.

Speaking to NewBettingSites.uk, Nelson said: “Jake Paul will have to wait until Anthony Joshua is about 45 years old to be able to fight him. As soon as Paul mentioned AJ’s name, I don’t think he was serious. However, it definitely got people talking.

“Paul doesn’t want the AJ fight, but once you start mentioning someone like Joshua in the same sentence as your own, it elevates your profile alongside his, even if it shouldn’t be up there. Paul knows what he’s doing and he’s showing other fighters how to do business in boxing.”

Jake Paul is a British Championship level-boxer

Nelson praised Paul for his business acumen which has been the driving factor behind the growth of his professional boxing career. Nelson believes Paul can fight at a British championship level and must do so to gain the respect of boxing purists.

He added: “Jake Paul has mastered the business side of boxing and he could teach some professional fighters a thing or two about it. There’s a thing called boxing snobbery which makes people like me, other professionals and ex-professionals, look down on him somewhat.

“It is because he hasn’t been in the game since a child, he hasn’t been in the gym his whole life and worked his way through the ranks. He built his popularity online first which has got him into a great position. The money he’s earned has helped him buy fights against old fighters with big names, who have a large fanbase.

“Traditional fighters have to look at him and see what is he doing that they are not. That’s the best way for them to view the situation. At the end of the day, it’s showbusiness.

“That said, I do think Jake Paul can actually fight. He’s a good domestic fighter, but he’s got world championship money. With that, people like Mike Tyson will get in the ring with him because they know they’ll get paid handsomely. He’s capitalised on the business side of boxing and you can’t really knock him for that.

“He is good enough to box at British championship level – I wouldn’t say he was world championship level. When he boxed Tommy Fury, who is at that level, he lost. Now he has to keep fighting and start winning at that level to gain the respect of the boxing purists. If he starts fighting opponents that are at least in his age limit, are traditional fighters and are in the rankings, then you have to respect him.”

Taylor set for swansong fight with Jonas

In reaction to Katie Taylor’s victory over Amanda Serrano, Nelson expressed his surprise at the result but was full of praise for the Irish fighter, who he believes has taken women’s boxing in the UK and Ireland to another level.

“I was very surprised to see Katie Taylor beat Amanda Serrano,” he said. “I thought we’d seen the best of her about three years ago and the last fight between them was a tough, close encounter. I honestly didn’t think she’d be able to pull it off, but Taylor was amazing. You have to respect where she is now and what she’s achieved in her career.

“She’s taken women’s boxing to the next level. There was a woman called Barbara Butterick who was the first British female world champion, yet most people don’t know who she is. She kicked the doors down initially for female fighters. Taylor has taken that to the next level, she kicked the doors down again and made people respect female boxers as much as they’ve respected male greats throughout the years.

“She’s a trailblazer in regard to setting a new standard and changing the view of women’s boxing. You can only have the utmost respect for that.

“Her next fight will be a farewell bout against someone like Natasha Jonas. She’ll want to go out on a win against a British fighter to get the audiences in. She’ll want to fight someone against whom she thinks she has a good chance, so don’t be surprised if Natasha’s name is thrown in the hat for her next and final fight.”