Jake Paul has been branded the "most feared man in boxing" by UFC legend Chael Sonnen as a potential fight with Tommy Fury edges closer.
Paul's team have continued to remain coy about the fight news that Eddie Hearn seemed to leak during an interview last week as they continue to work towards an August 13 date for his ring return. But the YouTube star's promoters have teased fans about a potential announcement, including a message the day after Hearn's leak telling them not to believe the hype.
But assuming that Paul will end up facing Fury, Sonnen believes that it is indicative of a fear within the boxing world to step into the ring with the YouTuber-turned-fighter. Paul has stopped his four professional opponents as well as his amateur one, and has struggled to nail down a big name opponent for his summer comeback.
And the former UFC title challenger argues that it is because established fighters at the level Paul is looking to compete are afraid of losing to a social media star. "Where are we getting Fury from?" Sonnen asked in a recent YouTube video.
"Is it just a case of there's nobody else willing to do it? That's how I feel; Jake Paul is the most feared man in boxing. There is nobody in boxing with a meaningful record or any kind of name or reputation that has called him out and they're hoping that their phone doesn't ring because they don't want that.
"It would be a main event and it would be the highest payday of their career, everything that they've ever dreamed about, everything they ever said that they wanted could be theirs. They don't want it.
"So is Fury willing to be the guy that does want to do it? You've heard from his brother [world heavyweight champion Tyson], you've heard from his father [former professional fighter John] and you've heard from him, he's said yes.
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"Now, he had the opportunity and he said no, he found the reason not to do it. Should we the audience believe him a second time? That's up to you, but Eddie Hearn is the one that came out and dropped this nugget so I thought that Eddie must represent Fury and be trying to get his guy a fight.
"He went on to say 'no, I do not, I have no hand in this, I just have my ear to the grindstone and this is what I'm hearing'. I'm not hearing anything different, are you guys? I hear a strong rumour that Nate Diaz and Paul would like to make a match but that can't happen."
Hearn told TalkSPORT that he has heard within the industry that Paul and Fury will fight on August 13, before admitting that he doesn't work with either fighter. But he has been speaking closely with the YouTuber's team around a prospective Katie Taylor vs Amanda Serrano rematch, which now appears to be dead in the water.
