BY ODIGIE OKPATAKU

One of the world’s most famous YouTubers, Jake Paul has officially broken into the World Boxing Association’s cruiserweight rankings, making the YouTuber-turned-boxer eligible to challenge for a world title. The WBA listed Paul (12-1, 7 KOs) at No. 14 in its latest rankings released late Monday, just two days after he scored a unanimous decision win over 39-year-old Julio César Chávez Jr. in Anaheim, California.

The move opens the door for Paul to potentially face WBA cruiserweight champion Gilberto “Zurdo” Ramírez, who successfully defended his title on the same card in Anaheim. Although no fight has been agreed upon, Paul and Ramírez had a tense faceoff at the post-fight press conference. “I want tougher fighters. I want to be a world champion,” Paul declared after his win over Chávez, who had only fought once in the past four years. “Zurdo looked slow tonight… that’d be easy work, too.”

Paul’s new ranking highlights a remarkable — if unconventional — journey from Disney Channel star and YouTube sensation to legitimate contender. However, it also reflects the immense financial draw Paul brings, which sanctioning bodies like the WBA are keen to capitalize on through sanctioning fees and massive gate receipts.