Copyright GIVEMESPORT
With the scheduled fight between Jake Paul and Gervonta Davis now officially cancelled, attention has quickly turned to who could replace the WBA lightweight champion. The fight was cancelled following reports that Davis attacked a woman in a Miami strip club late last week. While the cancellation has caused headaches for Paul, Most Valuable Promotions (MVP), and Netflix, it has opened the floor to a number of huge names in the world of combat sports, both past and present. With reports suggesting that MVP and Netflix are trying to reschedule for December, negotiations and confirmations of a new opponent for Paul could be revealed very soon, but which combat sport stars have emerged as the favourites to step into the ring with the Problem Child? Let's take a look thanks to the latest odds from William Hill. 10 Jon Jones Odds: 10/1 Jon Jones is seen by many as the greatest to ever do it in the UFC, having dominated the light heavyweight and heavyweight divisions since his 2008 debut for Dana White's promotion. Recently, however, Jones has made headlines for his drawn-out saga with recently crowned UFC heavyweight champion Tom Aspinall. After a near-18 month standoff, Jones decided to retire from MMA rather than face the then-interim champion for the championship. However, Jones' recent return to the UFC testing pool suggests that he will be seen in the Octagon again in the future. Jones has yet to make his boxing debut, but his famously adaptable and evolving fighting style suggests that a transition to the sport would be fairly straightforward for the UFC legend. 9 KSI Odds: 10/1 The English boxer, influencer, and musician has very close ties to the Paul family. KSI is the co-owner of Lunchly and Prime Hydration — joint ventures he runs alongside Jake Paul's brother, Logan. However, KSI's association with Jake is not as friendly as it is with his brother. Their bad blood has been well documented over the years, with both personalities contributing to the rise of influencer-led boxing. However, they do share a mutual respect for one another's boxing careers. KSI holds a pretty impressive record. He is undefeated under the banner, Misfits Boxing, and amateur boxing. In professional bouts, he holds a 1-1 record, with his sole victory coming over Logan Paul in 2019. His one loss was to Tommy Fury — the only boxer to have beaten Jake Paul so far. 8 Carl Froch Odds: 10/1 He may not have fought professionally since 2014, but Froch remains one of the most decorated and dangerous boxers of his generation. As well as having won multiple world titles at super middleweight, Froch is well known for his high KO percentage. Of his 33 professional wins, 24 have been achieved by KO. Since retiring, Froch has moved into analysis and commentary, and he has been a vocal critic of Paul's boxing career. He has even spoken about fighting Paul in the past, even offering to donate his purse to charity to get the fight over the line. In light of the offer, Paul's promotional partner, Nakisa Bidarian, challenged him to put $10 million on the table for the fight earlier this year. 7 Tommy Fury Odds: 8/1 A chance at redemption, Jake? Tommy, who is the younger brother of former heavyweight champion Tyson Fury, is the only boxer to hand the Problem Child a loss during his impressive boxing career. Their 2023 fight pitted two unbeaten boxers against one another and, sadly for Paul, Fury was the fighter who emerged with his 100% record intact. Fury's record remains unbeaten, having most recently beaten Kenan Hanjalic in May to extend that streak to 11-0. Ever since their 2023 fight took place, discussions over a highly-anticipated rematch have refused to go away. The cancellation of the Davis fight might just be the moment that realigns the stars of these two notorious rivals. 6 Quinton "Rampage" Jackson Odds: 7/1 Rampage Jackson has been an integral figure in the MMA world over the last 25 years, but he is yet to make his boxing debut. Jackson did briefly try his hand, or his feet, we should say, at kickboxing during his tenure in Japan, but a professional bout continues to elude him. However, following Paul's victory over Mike Tyson last year, Jackson made headlines when he offered himself up to Paul as his next potential opponent. Paul's disrespect towards Tyson and UFC legend Conor McGregor angered Jackson, leading the former light heavyweight champion to challenge the Problem Child. Such was the seriousness of the offer, Jackson offered to fight Paul for free. Negotiations have yet to advance any further than that, but knowing Jackson, the offer likely still stands. 5 Anthony Joshua Odds: 6/1 Fans of Anthony Joshua are still wondering when the former heavyweight champion will be likely to return to the ring. It's been well over a year since he fought and lost to Daniel Dubois in a bout for the IBF heavyweight title. However, over the weekend, Eddie Hearn confirmed that Joshua would be returning to the ring before the end of 2025 on the undercard of a Matchroom Boxing event. Hearn's promotion has three events currently scheduled to take place before the end of the year, but the British promoter didn't reveal which event AJ would be returning at, but with Paul searching for a worthy opponent, could an incredible collaboration between MVP and Matchroom be on the cards? Unlike many of the favourites, Joshua is somewhat friendly with Paul. This mutual respect could grease the wheels for a December date between the two fighters. 4 Andre Ward Odds: 6/1 The American great has done it all. Multiple world championships in two weight classes, Olympic gold in Athens no less, Hall of Fame status, and he retired with a 100% record after 32 fights too. Interestingly, SOG has praised the Problem Child for his dedication to boxing, and with a resume that impressive, there aren't many greater endorsements that Paul can receive for his efforts thus far. Ward has confirmed his openness to fighting Paul in the recent past and his name continues to be linked to the 28-year-old in light of the Davis cancellation. As a certified all-time great, Ward still has an incredible draw for boxing fans, even eight years after he retired. Like many of the fighters linked to Paul, Ward was seemingly affected by the Tyson bout. Whether it's the disrespect from Paul towards boxing royalty or a need to uphold the reputation of the sport, it seems to have lit a flame within Ward. Late last year, SOG suggested that he'd answer the call if Paul challenged him, but whether that challenge comes is another story. 3 Terence Crawford Odds: 5/1 The three-weight undisputed champion is fresh off his victory over Saul 'Canelo' Alvarez, extending his incredible 100% record to 42-0. The world's top pound-for-pound boxer, Crawford is at the pinnacle of the sport and presents possibly the most difficult opponent that Paul could face right now. When asked about fighting the social media star in April, Crawford dismissed the possibility of a fight. However, it does seem that his head could be turned if a highly lucrative offer was put on the table. He has reportedly been approached by MVP following the Davis fight cancellation, suggesting that he is a serious contender. The social media personality is keen to fight Crawford, stating via Netflix Sports' X account that he "would for sure fight Terence. A hundred percent, let's run it." 2 Francis Ngannou Odds: 3/1 Francis Ngannou Ngannou is well known for his dominance in MMA, having won heavyweight championships in the UFC and the PFL, but he's also been open to experimentation, branching out into boxing and kickboxing. Ngannou memorably fought both Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua in the space of six months, losing both bouts, and while they were ambitious opponents to bring in a potential boxing career, perhaps it would be wise for him to look a little lower down the pecking order. With the weight difference and the Cameroonian's pedigree, he would stand as the favourite against Paul, presenting a chance to reignite his boxing career on a huge platform. Ngannou had already been approached by MVP with a big money offer, which he swiftly rejected. However, with over a year since his last fight, there are worse ways for the former UFC champion to make his return, both professionally and financially. 1 Nate Diaz Odds: 2/1 It seems that Diaz has been hoping to get another shot at Paul following their 2023 encounter. He made his professional boxing debut against the influencer, losing via unanimous decision. Just last week, Diaz not only claimed that he was injured heading into the fight, but felt that he should've been handed the win. He has also expressed an interest in fighting both Jake and Logan Paul, with the possibility of an MMA bout taking place between Diaz and Jake. The Problem Child has a strong association with the PFL and the promotion could conceivably provide the venue for a rematch. With Davis now firmly out of the picture, Paul faces a race to find a new opponent quickly. In reality, the likes of Joshua, Crawford, and Ngannou will understandably be hesitant to fight Paul on such short notice, but Diaz is desperate for revenge. The Davis cancellation is the perfect opportunity for the former UFC star to swoop in and solve a big problem for the Problem Child.
