Jake Paul Cleared to Fight; Names Canelo, Strickland as Targets — SkimNews
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- Jake Paul has been medically cleared to return to boxing after undergoing surgical procedures on his jaw in December and February following his knockout loss to Anthony Joshua last December.
- Paul (12-2, seven KOs), 29, is targeting a full return to competition in early 2027; he told ESPN in April he had resumed light training but had not yet been cleared to spar.
- Most Valuable Promotions co-founder Nakisa Bidarian officially confirmed Paul's clearance in a Thursday post on X.
- Paul posted a 15-name wish list featuring boxing matchups against Canelo Alvarez, Ryan Garcia, Francis Ngannou, and Deontay Wilder, plus boxing-or-MMA bouts with Conor McGregor and Nate Diaz.
- UFC middleweight champion Sean Strickland (31-7) publicly vented over UFC compensation, writing that McGregor "makes 30 million to fight for 30 seconds," and said he was "contemplating just going to 205 [pounds], knocking out my contract and scrapping with Jake Paul."
- Paul replied to Strickland on X: "Sean Strickland I see your texts but are you out of contract? Tell your 'promoter' to call MVP."
Why it matters: Paul's return depends on spectacle pairings rather than rankings, and Strickland's public UFC-pay grievance — explicitly citing McGregor's reported $30 million payday — creates the most concrete opening on the wish list. Both fighters publicly signaled willingness this week, putting immediate pressure on Strickland's UFC contract status rather than boxing matchmaking.
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