Jake Paul just can’t seem to stay out of the spotlight—even when he’s not doing anything. Critics continue to drag his name into conversations, often as the punchline to a joke. This time, ‘The Problem Child’ has been unexpectedly linked to none other than boxing legend Sugar Ray Leonard. The 69-year-old Hall of Famer, who held world titles across five weight classes, battled not just opponents but also the passage of time. 

Leonard retired and made multiple comebacks between 1982 and 1991, before officially hanging up the gloves in 1997 after a loss to Hector Camacho. But as the saying goes, you can take the man out of boxing, but you can’t take boxing out of the man. Despite his age, Leonard recently picked up the gloves again and started hitting the mitts. Ring Magazine shared a clip of the boxing legend looking sharp with his pad work on social media.

Sugar Ray Leonard showcases athleticism

“The legendary Sugar Ray Leonard showing he’s still got it at age 69,” Ring Magazine wrote in the caption. In the video, Leonard displays flashes of his trademark speed and sharp reflexes — slipping punches, firing crisp counters, and moving with the same charisma that once made him a global icon. The clip quickly went viral, drawing admiration from fans and boxing purists alike.

But while Leonard was the star of the post, Jake Paul somehow ended up at the center of the conversation — again, as the butt of the joke. Although he wasn’t mentioned in the clip or caption, the comments section was flooded with jabs aimed at Paul. This comes amid news that the Cleveland native has hired high-profile attorney Alex Spiro to go after critics claiming his fights are staged or fake, in an effort to protect his brand and image in the sport.

The legal move follows accusations from figures like former NFL star Adam ‘Pacman’ Jones and journalist Piers Morgan, who questioned the legitimacy of Paul’s matchups with Mike Tyson and Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. Still, despite his best efforts, Paul can’t seem to dodge the ridicule — especially when a real legend like Leonard reminds the world what greatness looks like.

Fan predicts Jake Paul would win

Given Paul’s track record of facing aging or past-their-prime opponents, it was no surprise that fans flooded the comments with sarcastic jabs. One user quipped, “I’ve seen enough: Jake vs Sugar,” playfully suggesting a matchup between Paul and the 69-year-old legend. While Sugar Ray Leonard was once one of the greatest to ever do it, it’s highly unlikely he could last even a round in the ring at his age.

Another user chimed in with a tongue-in-cheek prediction for the hypothetical matchup, commenting, “Gotta fancy Jake Paul on points.” While clearly meant as a joke, it also highlighted a growing observation among fans — despite facing older opponents, Paul himself has slowed down in his last couple of fights, struggling to deliver knockouts.

Meanwhile, one user had to warn Sugar Ray Leonard about the post. “Don’t let Jake Paul see it,” the user wrote. However, realistically, even Jake Paul may not want to fight Leonard anymore. Someone else praised Leonard for his abilities at 69. “Ain’t no still got it. He’s always going to have it,” the user commented.

Not everyone was thrilled to see Leonard back in action. One user criticized the display, writing, “A smart fighter knows when to hang it up.” Of course, Leonard has retired multiple times before — only to return again and again. Fortunately, those comebacks were decades ago, during the 1980s and ’90s. These days, it seems he’s just enjoying the mitts, not planning another run.

It appears Jake Paul became the unwitting victim of public ridicule because of his choice of opponents. But do you think ‘El Gallo’ deserves all the criticism?