Badou Jack has warned Jake Paul against fighting for shock world honours – even if he wins the right to.
Paul faces Tommy Fury in their rescheduled grudge match on Sunday in Saudi Arabia.
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The victor will earn themselves a WBC cruiserweight world ranking – anywhere from the top 40 to 15th depending on the performance.
Any the top 15 fighter is eligible to contend for a championship, meaning should Paul win in convincing enough style, it paves the way for a title shot.
And Jack happens to be challenging champion Ilunga Makabu for the very belt that the YouTuber-turned boxer could be ranked for.
But the two-division king – seeking a title in his third weight – urged Paul against aiming at the top just yet.
“Come on, it’s different levels. I think he’ll get ranked in the top 50, I don’t think he’ll get ranked to fight for a title,” Jack told SunSport.
“It would take years for that and obviously he’s not ready for that. The WBC, they’re thinking smart with business minds.
“He’ll generate money and that’s what it’s all about, but of course, he can’t fight for the title right now.
“He hasn’t even fought him yet, but he would’ve fought only one boxer. It takes time.”
Jack conducted his training camp in Dubai, just 400 miles away from Saudi.
So did Paul, with the pair bumping into each other and even sharing ice cold recovery baths together.
“It looks like he’s training hard,” Jack said of Paul.
“This is the hurt business, so you’ve got to train hard but now he’s finally fighting a real boxer, so it looks like he’s ready for it.”
Paul, 26, is at last set to meet Fury, 23, in the ring after his rival twice pulled out in the past, amid injury and visa issues.
It will be the first opponent he had faced with a recognised boxing record.
That despite wins over ex-MMA champions Ben Askren, 38, Tyron Woodley, 38, and Anderson Silva, 47.
Some boxing purists took aim at the celebrity boxing pair headlining over Jack and Makabu.
But the Swedish legend claimed he is the people’s Main Event regardless.
“Come on, it’s different levels. I think he’ll get ranked in the top 50, I don’t think he’ll get ranked to fight for a title,” he said.
“I’m the real main event anyway. People who know boxing know that.
“But no, I’m not mad. I’m just happy for this opportunity and you can look at it like, maybe we get some new fans from their audience.
“It’s a new era of boxing, the social media era and I’m just thankful to Prince Khalid and Saudi Arabia for helping me get this fight.
“Now it’s up to me to prove that I’m the best.”
Jack has featured in some of the biggest events in boxing history, including undercard spots on Floyd Mayweather and Anthony Joshua’s fights.
This story first appeared in The Sun and was republished with permission.