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Boxing

Jake Paul predicts round for Tommy Fury KO and already has next opponent in mind

Jake Paul predicts round for Tommy Fury KO and already has next opponent in mindDAZN

Jake Paul believes the winner of his fight with Tommy Fury deserves a world ranking with the WBC.

The WBC have been clear of their intention to award Paul a world ranking since his attempted match-up with Hasim Rahman Jr fell through last year, assuming he puts away a professional fighter.

Fury will be the first active professional boxer that Paul faces but both boast unbeaten records in their nascent career. Despite that, the American believes a ranking is a reasonable reward.

The fight on Sunday will be shown live on DAZN PPV in Brazil and Canada.

"I think it's cool if they want to rank me, that's fine. It's not up to me. I'm not in control of the WBC and whatever it is that they want to do," Paul told Sky Sports.

"I'm challenging myself more than most pro fighters, all pro fighters, in their seventh fight. Most pro fighters in their seventh fight are fighting guys with losing records.

"I'm fighting now Tommy Fury, legendary bloodline, 8-0, in just my seventh fight. I've beaten a lot of people in sparring who are in the cruiserweight rankings so to me it makes sense. But of course the purists are always going to be mad at me."

He continued: "There's a lot of hype around it. He has a big name. His brother's the heavyweight champion of the world. He's been doing this since he was 10 years old, he's a professional boxer, same age-ish, same weight. He's got the longer reach. Got advantages on me.

"We've already gone past the 'moving too fast'. This is a rollercoaster ride and it seems on pace actually for the speed that I'm moving at," he claimed.

"I think this is the fastest meteoric rise in boxing history. No one's done this many pay-per-views this early on. No one's moved this fast. No one's challenged themselves. No one's had this big of events, this early on in their career ever. Ever.

"Hopefully it's a never-ending ride. I love this sport and I'm taking it day by day and doing what I can every single day. In the gym, outside of the gym to grow boxing and to have fun on this rollercoaster."

Paul also revealed that he believes MMA star Nate Diaz will be his next opponent.

"One hundred per cent. I think it's a massive fight. There's animosity there. His team is ready, my team is ready. We're in talks," he stated.

"Pretty much everything is queued up ready to go. So I'm going to get through Sunday then move on to Nate Diaz."

Paul also predicted he will send Fury to sleep in the opening four rounds.

"I think it'll be my easiest fight since Ben Askren for sure. I think it's going to be refreshing. I've had to go to war, twice against Tyron (Woodley), once against Anderson (Silva) and this is a guy who's not as tough. Maybe a better boxer but not as tough,” he said.

"I don't think it's going to be a war. I think I'm going to put him to sleep within four rounds."

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