Jake Paul has built an unlikely boxing résumé by doing what most crossover stars never dare to do: chasing real danger.
The YouTuber-turned-prizefighter has repeatedly called out elite names, and on December 19 in Miami, he’ll take the biggest swing of his career when he steps into the ring as a heavy underdog against former unified heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua.
But even with that ambition, Paul admits there’s one opponent he won’t touch: David Benavidez.
“There’s a very short list of people that I wouldn’t step into the ring with, and Benavidez is on that list,” Paul told ESPN, naming the undefeated WBC light heavyweight champion without hesitation.
The admission stands out because Paul has openly chased bouts with some of boxing’s most dangerous stars, including Terence Crawford, Canelo Álvarez, and Gervonta Davis. Benavidez, though, represents something different—an all-action pressure fighter whose style and résumé leave little room for optimism.
Paul has described Benavidez, nicknamed “The Mexican Monster,” as his favorite boxer to watch. He’s also clear-eyed about why that admiration doesn’t translate into confidence.
“That guy is different,” Paul said. “His power, his speed, his cardio, his nonstop punching and relentless pressure. Your punches don’t mean s*** to him.”
The numbers back that up. Benavidez is a perfect 31–0 as a professional, with 25 knockouts. He became the youngest super middleweight world champion in history at 20, and has since won titles in two weight classes. In 2025 alone, he unified the WBC and WBA (Regular) light heavyweight belts.
Paul zeroed in on the physical realities of the matchup. “You can’t get through his guard,” he said, pointing to Benavidez’s size, forearms, and ability to absorb punishment while walking opponents down. “Some people are just built different, and Benavidez is one of those guys.”
That contrast helps explain Paul’s current focus. Preparing for Joshua, one of heavyweight boxing’s most prolific knockout artists, Paul has been sparring with true giants, including Jared Anderson and Lawrence Okolie. The camp, he says, has already delivered lessons—like learning he can take a punch after Okolie gave him a black eye.
