Jake Paul is one victory away from joining the cruiserweight rankings.
WBC President Mauricio Sulaiman committed to giving “The Problem Child” a spot on the coveted list with a victory over fellow up-and-coming pugilist Tommy Fury at “The Truth” pay-per-view (PPV) event streaming on ESPN+ and FITE+ on Feb. 26 in Diriyah, Saudi Arabia.
“Jake has dedication and respect to the sport and The WBC will not tolerate discrimination against anyone, he deserves the opportunities that any other boxer has,” the WBC press release said. “He demonstrated punching power and improved skills as well as a solid chin, Tommy Fury represents a clear challenge to Paul in a battle of two undefeated professional boxers. Jake has enrolled in VADA testing Clean Boxing Program, yet another strong reason to support his stance as a boxer.”
The 26 year-old Paul is 6-0 with four knockouts and recently turned away former UFC middleweight champion Anderson Silva. Fury, who turns 24 in May, improved to 8-0 with four knockouts by defeating Polish slugger Daniel Bocianski last April.
The Paul-Fury undercard will pit Badou Jack against Ilunga Makabu for the WBC cruiserweight championship. In addition, Ashton Sylve collides with Maxwell Awuku not long after Ziyad Almaayouf face off against an opponent to be named.