When it comes to boxing, no one can question Jake Paul’s conviction and seriousness. Despite all the criticisms and setbacks, ‘The Problem Child’ has stuck with his passion and displayed ample intent to make it big in the sport. For that, he seems willing to scale any height. Now, there has always been one frequent criticism slapped against Jake Paul.

It featured his reported habit of picking retired mixed martial artists as opponents. To allay all the fuss, in 2023, Jake Paul changed track and went against a proper boxer, Tommy Fury. As fate would have it, he suffered his first career loss. So he went against another retired UFC fighter, Nate Diaz, during the year’s second bout. Finally, he got the much-needed victory. But for the year’s third fight, in December, he once again picked a professional boxer. The sound of Paul’s upper cut that knocked out André August in the opening round echoed across the boxing world. Thus, now emboldened, the Ohioan, for the year’s first bout, picked an opponent who shares a profile almost similar to August’s.

Jake Paul and The Charging Rhino

Standing 6 feet tall, 35-year-old Ryan Bourland was born in Martinez, California, but seems to have relocated to Dickinson, North Dakota. Picking up boxing at age 11, he enjoyed a stellar amateur career before switching over to professional boxing in 2013. He fought for the next five years but decided to call it a day after the third bout in 2018. He returned roughly four years later, only to remain inactive through 2023. As he steps into the ring against Jake Paul, his record stands at 17 wins, out of which 6 were knockouts against 2 losses.

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So an easy line of thought would suggest that it would be another joyride for Jake Paul in San Juan, Puerto Rico. But that might prove a risk he would be taking at his own peril.

Ryan Bourland might be the third boxer he is fighting against in his career. But the California-born boxer could prove himself more than a bag full of trouble that Jake Paul might not have come across thus far. Now how’s that possible when the YouTuber-turned-boxer had finished off a boxer with a similar profile in the first round of their fight only a month ago?

The answer to that lies in the details. A closer look might provide some clues.

Tough: Tougher: Toughest: Jake Paul against the Pro-Boxers

Tommy Fury (10-0-0)

On paper, Tommy Fury’s record might appear spotless. However, a deep dive into the records of the opposition he faced until he met Jake Paul reveals an all-together different story.

Take, for example, his debut fight. His first professional fight, on December 22, 2018, took place at the Manchester Arena. However, he faced a foe who had lost 113 fights against only 10 wins. Likewise, the next three-four opponents, namely Callum Ide, Genadij Krajevskij, and Scott Williams, were boxers who have never won a single bout in their professional careers, if it could be called so.

Andre August (10-2-1)

Now, getting back to André August, the Texan began his pro-boxing career almost a decade ago. But it has been interspersed with breaks. The first came after he fought Randon Montgomery on August 29, 2015. The inactivity remained until August 2017, when he made an appearance against Joshua Kuhn. He continued for the next few years, only to go on a second, but much longer, break. After the November 23, 2019 fight against Santario Martin, André August could only come back by August 11, 2023.

Even contest-wise, barring a few novice debutants whom he knocked out, like Fury, Andre August too appears to have faced a few boxers who made specialization out of defeats. For instance, Jermaine Parks (6-25-3), Jorge Garcia (5-16-1), and Christian Solorzano (7-13-0).

Ryan Bourland (17-2-0)

That finally leaves Ryan Bourland. He started around the same time that André August began his professional journey. However, unlike the former, it followed a more stable and regular route. It saw him fight at least two to three times per year. The schedule continued until 2018, when he finally took the call to discontinue boxing. However, four years later, he made a comeback against Santario Martin on September 17. Though 2023 went without a fight for the California-born boxer.

At 35%, Bourland’s knockout-to-win rate might be the lowest among the three. However, he makes it up with a record that saw him face some formidable opponents over the years. Like August and Fury, he has his share of debutants and loss-heavy foes. But it cannot be denied that outside of those outliers, he had to exchange jabs with boxers whose resumes appeared at least competent.

More significantly, his professional record rides on the back of a sterling amateur career. Triumphs during the National Golden Gloves and then the National Junior Olympics were bettered by the two light heavyweight championship wins at the GBO (Global Boxing Organization) sanctioned fights.

Making his intentions clear, Ryan Bourland reportedly said, “Jake Paul steps into the ring with his social media clout, but let’s not mistake followers for experience or skill. While he’s been busy chasing likes, I’ve been honing my craft for years, stepping into the ring and beating real boxers. On Saturday, March 2, I will shock the world and put an end to Jake Paul’s boxing career.”

Undoubtedly, Jake Paul’s team would have already made a note of these metrics and arrived at the needful ‘The Problem Child’ needs to do to continue his winning streak. More so, if he plans to rope in a much tougher opponent, someone a level above the upcoming foe, then it’s better he preps himself to the seams.

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What’s your take on Jake Paul’s upcoming opponent? Please share your views with us in the comments below.

Watch This Story: “Picked Another Semi Retired Fighter?”: Fans Slam Jake Paul for Picking 35-Year-Old Opponent for Puerto Rico Fight