Paul, 28, from Cleveland, Ohio, has made waves in boxing. He recently beat Julio Cesar Chavez Jr, a former WBC world middleweight champion, on June 28 at the Honda Center in Anaheim. This win pushed Paul closer to challenging for a real world title.
The WBA now ranks Paul at number 14, just ahead of Craig Parker. This ranking has caused a stir, with Parker and others in boxing strongly criticizing the decision.
Stevenson shared his thoughts on Ariel Helwani's show:
"I think, actually, Jake got tremendously better from the timeframe he started until now. And, in the right situation, I could also see him become a world champion. Yeah."
Stevenson also said he can see why Paul got ranked, knowing that rankings aren't just about skill - other things matter too.
Paul wants to fight for a world title. He might face Gilberto 'Zurdo' Ramirez, the unified world cruiserweight champion, or Badou Jack, the WBC champion. There's also talk about a possible match with Anthony Joshua, the former unified world heavyweight champion. Both Paul and Joshua seem interested in this fight.
Paul's boxing career has always stirred up debate. But now, he's getting closer to fighting for a real world title. His progress shows how the boxing world is changing, with factors beyond just skill influencing a fighter's rise to the top.