Paul said he wants “tougher fighters”, but his callouts often ignore weight classes.

He outrageously named former heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua and lightweight world champion Gervonta ‘Tank’ Davis as possible opponents.

Earlier this week WBC president Mauricio Sulaiman said Paul could be considered for a ranking if he beat Chavez. Under WBC rules, a fighter must be inside the top 15 to qualify for a world title shot.

For context, British champion Viddal Riley ranks 15th, while Team GB Olympian Cheavon Clarke is 19th.

Should Ohio’s Paul be ranked above them? Sporting logic says no. But in today’s boxing landscape, it is not impossible.

Paul has also suggested the WBA may rank him. The WBA considers fight history, activity and competition level when ranking fighters.

To his credit, Paul has brought a new audience to boxing, supported women fighters through his Most Valuable Promotions and shown serious commitment to training. But that alone does not justify a world title shot.

To earn genuine respect in boxing, he must move beyond faded names and former MMA stars. Wins over Chavez and Tyson may boost his brand but they do little for his credibility in the ring.

The problem for the self-proclaimed ‘Problem Child’, however, is that stepping in with an active, legitimately ranked fighter is when the wheels are likely to come off.