Chavez? Tyson? Canelo? How to choose a Jake Paul opponent - ESPN

LAST NOVEMBER, PAST and present generations packed AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, for a one-of-a-kind boxing match. Jake Paul vs. Mike Tyson was a unique event that leveraged the curiosity of fans from different eras and brought them under one roof.

Tyson, who walked to the ring alone with his trademark cutoff towel and scowl that intimidated boxers in the '80s and '90s, was urged on mostly by fans in their 40s who grew up watching «Iron Mike» on cable television. Paul, who rode to the ring in a lowrider with his brother, Logan, was cheered on mostly by Gen Zers who consume the brothers' social media content.

The visual of Tyson versus Paul was epic, even though the fight underwhelmed as Paul cruised to a decision victory over the elder Tyson.

"[I can fight] anyone I want next," Paul said during his postfight interview after beating the 58-year-old Tyson for eight one-sided rounds. «Everyone is next on the list. I'm not going to call out specific names. I know [Canelo Alvarez] wants a payday; he knows where the money is at.»

Although there was a 31-year age gap between the influencer-turned-boxer and the former world heavyweight champion, the fight was a massive success, with 108 million viewers on Netflix. It also generated a gate of $18.1 million, the biggest for any boxing or MMA event outside of Las Vegas.

It proved that Paul, 28, is a masterful promoter who can stage huge cultural events that make millions. But did beating an opponent who hadn't won a meaningful boxing match in over two decades get Paul any closer to proving to the world that he's a «real» boxer and worthy of challenging for a world title?

Paul continues his quest to transform himself from social media star to boxing world champion when he faces