Chris Billam-Smith offers verdict on Jake Paul being ranked by WBA

Chris Billam-Smith understands why governing bodies have offered Jake Paul a "shortcut" by ranking the American, but the former WBO cruiserweight world champion has called for boxing’s top organisations to “hold some integrity”.

YouTuber-turned-boxer Paul was ranked by the WBA at cruiserweight last month, placing the American at 14th in their ratings following his victory over Julio César Chávez Jr at the end of June.

Former WBC super middleweight champion Chávez Jr had only fought once in the four years before his fight with Paul, leading many to question the merit of ranking Paul, whose record now stands at 12-1 (7 KOs).

Following backlash on social media and from boxing pundits, the WBA have stated they will review Paul’s ranking. Paul’s current status as a top 15 boxer makes ‘The Problem Child’ eligible for a title shot with WBA and WBO champion Gilberto 'Zurdo' Ramírez.

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Billam-Smith, 21-2 (13 KOs), sits at number nine in the WBA rankings and is currently awaiting another world title shot after losing his belt to Ramírez in November 2024.

He beat a fellow top 10 cruiserweight contender in the form of Brandon Glanton back in April, but right now things have gone quiet for Billam-Smith. WBC champion Badou Jack has been ordered to rematch Noel Mikaelian, whilst a unification bout between Ramírez and Jai Opetaia looks likely in the near future.

Rated at number one with the WBO, third with the IBF, and fourth with the WBC, ‘The Gentleman’ has found himself waiting in the wings at 200lbs.

When asked if Paul’s presence in the cruiserweight title picture hindered matchmaking, Billam-Smith told The Independent: “Yeah - I spoke to certain governing bodies.

“Look, obviously they all want to rank him because the governing bodies get paid sanctioning fees, a percentage of purses. So at the end of the day, professional boxing is a business and I understand everyone's reasons for ranking him, but you have to hold some integrity.

“He has to build, he has to be a decent level cruiserweight before you can rank him in the top 15, which means he can get a title shot. That's my view. I think you need to hold some integrity.

“I understand people aren't going to agree with it, but that is the way the business is. So until the business changes from its roots, from where it is now, to a complete earning-your-right business, then we can't argue that.

“But there's a lot of fundamental changes that would need to happen for that to be the case.”

Whilst Billam-Smith does not entirely disagree with ranking Paul, he believes that there has to be enough merit to warrant the American’s inclusion in the sanctioning bodies’ ratings.

“I have no issue with him getting ranked,” he continued. “Well, not no issue, but I just understand it. I have no issue with Jake Paul, because he's obviously going to want to maximise everything for him.

“If he can take a shortcut because of his name, and his fanbase, and the money he brings in, credit to him.

“He might not be there on a boxing level, but on a business level, he's done really well. So we've got to respect that. But I think there has to be some merit in ranking him.

“I know the WBO are kind of holding back on ranking him because they can't rank him on (the fact) he beat a career middle/super middleweight, who hasn’t boxed in years, in Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. So it's a fine line between that.”

Having worked his way up the ranks in Britain to get his own title shot, Billam-Smith is again building towards another world championship fight.

Rather than be bitter at Paul or the nature of boxing, the Bournemouth fighter reiterated that he understood why the American would potentially get a shot at a champion.

He restarted: “At the moment, right now, I'd be disappointed in him getting a shot before me.

“Just because of who he’s boxed – he hasn’t beaten anyone, until he gets even a half-decent win, you can half-understand it and kind of meet in the middle of business and that.

“I understand it – I'm not naive enough. As much as it shouldn't be that way, I understand it is that way. So you can't be too crazy about it. But ideally I get myself a world title, and then he gets a good win under his belt, and then I get the payday!

“But look, that's the way the business is and everyone's out for their own, to do the best for themselves. From the champions’ point of view, if they get matched against him, they’ve earned their right to take that shot.

“So as frustrating as it would be for me, you ask them and look at it from everyone else's point of view, why would they fight me who's a hard fighter, when they could probably have an easier fight for more money?

“In this business, it’s very unforgiving. It makes sense.”

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