Jake Paul’s five-man shortlist of opponents for boxing comeback includes two Brit rivals and ex-UFC star

JAKE PAUL has two British rivals on his five-man shortlist of opponents for his boxing comeback. The YouTuber-turned-boxer is yet to return since being knocked out by Anthony Joshua in December. Jake Paul is set to return to the boxing ring Credit: Getty He suffered a broken jaw against Anthony Joshua Credit: AFP It left the brave but deluded American with a shattered jaw that required TWO surgeries and his boxing career up in the air. But Paul has since confirmed he is poised to fight again – with talks already underway for his next opponent. Sign up for the Sport newsletter Thank you! Nakisa Bidarian – who co-founded Most Valuable Promotions with Paul in 2022 – gave Sky Sports the frontrunners in line. Bidarian said: “One hundred per cent he’s boxing again. “Jake wants to fight [Francis] Ngannou, Ryan Garcia, but Tommy Fury is a fight that makes sense. “Edgar Berlanga, that’s a fascinating fight. I also like Chris Eubank Jr, that’s a fascinating fight. “The fighters on the other side also need to be realistic. Sometimes their eyes are bigger than what the box office affords us to pay.” Paul, 29, suffered his first defeat to Fury, 27, in 2023 but the pair are yet to rematch following a series of failed talks. Most read in Sport BEST FREE BETS AND BETTING SIGN UP OFFERS The Home of Boxing in 2026 There's a massive year of boxing ahead! It’s shaping up to be a blockbuster year of action inside the boxing ring. The Gypsy King has beaten Mariusz Wach in his second fight of the year to set up a huge fight with Anthony Joshua And AJ did the same, knocking out Kristian Prenga in the second round of a thrilling encounter – the Brit was knocked down twice in the opening round. Now fans are looking forward to Moses Itauma’s return for his toughest fight yet against Filip Hrgovic in August. Here’s all the big fights coming up… August Sat 1 – Pierce O’Leary vs Mark Chamberlain – DAZN Sat 15 – Claressa Shields vs Kaye Scott – DAZN Sat 29 – Moses Itauma vs Filip Hrgovic – DAZN September Sat 12 – Conor Benn vs Ryan Garcia – DAZN *If you click a link in this boxout, we will earn affiliate revenue. Fury’s last bout came in June when he beat strongman Eddie Hall, 38, in an exhibition that did not count on his record. Ngannou, 39, returned to MMA following two losses in the boxing ring to Joshua and Tyson Fury. He dropped Fury, 37, on his boxing debut in October 2023 but was KO’d in two rounds by Joshua, 36, just five months later. Garcia, 27, was considered by Paul’s team to replace Gervonta Davis, 31, last year before AJ was given the nod. But Garcia – who defends his WBC welterweight world title on September 12 against Conor Benn – was blocked from the talks. Jake Paul was beaten by Tommy Fury in 2023 Credit: Getty Ryan Garcia with Jake Paul in 2022 Credit: Rex Francis Ngannou is linked with fighting Jake Paul Credit: PFL Super-middleweight Berlanga, 29, also threw his hat into the ring on that occasion. Meanwhile Eubank Jr, 36, is yet to fight since losing his rematch to Benn, 29, in November. Paul sent out a message of congratulations to AJ – who returned to victory over Kristian Prenga in Jeddah. It was the first bout since he lost close friends Latif “Latz” Ayodele and Sina Ghami in a car crash in Nigeria just ten days after beating Paul. Bidarian added: “I’m proud of him, in awe of him, thinking of him. I sent him messages throughout the week. Chris Eubank Jr lost his rematch to Conor Benn in November Credit: GETTY Edgar Berlanga has called out Jake Paul before Credit: Getty “We developed a relationship with Sina, which was hard for all of us, but no harder for anyone than their families and AJ, who is part of their family. “For him to make that walk seven months later, to go into the ring with that emotion, I’m sure that weighed heavily on him. “Massive respect, massive admiration.” Joshua was dropped twice in a shocking first round against Prenga, 35, before getting the KO in the second to keep his mega-fight with Fury alive. And Bidarian claimed Paul – who lasted six rounds against AJ – put in a better performance than Prenga. He said: “Jake Paul won more than the guy on Saturday night won. “He was in there for six rounds. That dude was out in two rounds, taking the same shots Jake was taking. “I’m very happy with his performance, not happy with the outcome, and didn’t like that he broke his jaw, but the hardest shots on Jake Paul didn’t do what they did to a heavyweight on Saturday.” Comment now