What's next for Jake Paul, Katie Taylor after blockbuster wins?
Jake Paul and Katie Taylor were the big winners at Netflix's inaugural boxing event.
Paul, the YouTuber turned boxing star, cruised to a unanimous decision win over 58-year-old former heavyweight champion Mike Tyson in the highly forgettable main event Friday at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas. Taylor, on the other hand, put on a show in the co-main event, eking out a decision win over Amanda Serrano in a thrilling rematch to remain the undisputed women's junior welterweight champion.
Below, we put on our matchmaking hat and determine what could be next for Paul and Taylor.
Jake Paul
Should fight: Tommy Fury vs. Darren Till winner
Paul will likely aim to fight another popular name in the combat sports world after hitting a home run - commercially - with the Tyson fight. His two matches against journeymen Andre August and Ryan Bourland in late 2023 and early 2024, respectively, failed to drum up much interest, and fighting over-the-hill former champions is what made Paul one of the biggest stars in prizefighting in the first place.
Fury - who handed Paul his lone career defeat in 2023 - is scheduled to square off with former UFC title challenger Till in a boxing match Jan. 18 in Manchester, England. A fight against the winner could line up well for Paul, who took virtually no damage in the Tyson bout. Paul would either get an opportunity to avenge his only loss or add yet another win over an MMA fighter to his resume.
Wild-card option: Jorge Masvidal
Masvidal, one of the most popular fighters in the UFC at one point, is planning to return to MMA in 2025 after a two-year retirement. But a sizable paycheck could sway the 40-year-old to step into the ring against Paul. Masvidal made his boxing debut against former UFC star Nate Diaz in July, losing a controversial decision. Paul and Masvidal have talked about fighting each other several times, and the matchup would be a legitimate pay-per-view draw.
Katie Taylor
Should fight: Chantelle Cameron
Taylor and Cameron have unfinished business after fighting twice last year and taking home one victory apiece. Cameron shocked Taylor by a majority decision in May 2023, handing the Irishwoman her first career loss. But then Taylor got revenge with a convincing victory six months later to claim the undisputed women's junior welterweight title. Cameron is 2-0 since the loss to Taylor, capturing the fringe WBC interim belt, and she recently called for a fight against the Taylor-Serrano winner. It makes a lot of sense for Taylor and Cameron to complete the trilogy, especially given how much excitement their first two fights provided.
Wild-card option: Amanda Serrano
No one would complain if Taylor and Serrano fought three times a year for the rest of their careers. They're two of the three best women's pound-for-pound boxers in the world, and both of their meetings were Fight of the Year candidates. The reality is many people thought Serrano should've gotten her hand raised in Friday's rematch. It was a competitive fight - and an absolute barn burner - so it's hard to call the decision a robbery, but many would argue that 2-0 Taylor doesn't quite tell the full story of their series. Taylor-Serrano 3 is a highly sellable fight, and they both seem interested in it. Doing the trilogy right away wouldn't be a bad option.