YouTube sensation-turned-pugilist Jake Paul is brimming with confidence about organizing a bout with two-time heavyweight king Anthony Joshua.
Paul, no stranger to the spotlight, made waves earlier this year by throwing down the gauntlet to Joshua on his YouTube channel ‘BS with Jake Paul,’ proclaiming: “I want to fight Anthony Joshua because I know I will f—— beat Anthony Joshua’s a–. He doesn’t have a chin and he has no skill and he’s stiff. I love you, Anthony, we’re friends and all this s— but I want to fight you. I will beat Canelo, I will beat a lot of f—— people.”
The back-and-forth quickly led to an understanding over the phone for a future showdown. Speaking with Ariel Helwani, Paul dished details on the anticipated encounter: “Yeah, we talked on the phone for like ten minutes and we’re both down. I said 2026 and he was like, ‘Alright, let’s get it,'” he disclosed.
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With plans in the works, Paul predicts the 2026 match-up will be huge. His goal is to not only challenge himself in the heavyweight category but also to capitalize on what he perceives as Joshua’s deteriorating resilience.
“We’re gonna make it happen so I think that’s going to be a mega-fight next year and something fun to test my skills at heavyweight. But I think his chin’s gone and especially if he fights another time or two in between the end of 2026. I love Anthony, he’s always supported me, I’ve always supported him but I just do believe I can beat him in a fight.”
Joshua has announced he won’t be returning to the ring until December at the earliest. ‘AJ’ hasn’t been in a match since his stunning fifth-round knockout defeat by Daniel Dubois last September.
In a conversation with ESPN about his future, Joshua remarked: “December, I’ll fight again. That’s when I want to fight again. I want to take some time and then I’ll go in December.”
Regarding Tyson Fury, Joshua’s British counterpart, Joshua brushed off concerns: “Don’t worry about him, he says a lot of stuff. I just want to get my body feeling good and my mind is going to be right and then I’ll fight. No problem!”
Amid rumors of a potential clash between Paul and Joshua, boxing promoter Eddie Hearn has cautioned the American YouTuber, hinting that the ‘Problem Child’ might not grasp the danger of stepping into the ring with his premier fighter.
In an interview with The Stomping Ground, Hearn expressed: “The reason [people] are in to it is because it is so dangerous. [They think] if he hits Jake Paul, his head could actually detach from his neck. That’s the world we live in. If it’s what you want to see, I’m sure AJ would give you what you want. But unless you’re going to do it next, don’t talk about it. If you’re going to do it next, we’ll do it. AJ is not defending a belt, he’s not trying to unify, he’s not trying to become undisputed. We’re looking for an opponent.
“If it’s Jake Paul, it’s a massive payday and a straightforward job. If I was walking into the ring to fight Jake Paul, I wouldn’t be nervous. I could be competitive. It is impossible [Paul beats Joshua]. Jake Paul probably could have a dozen or so free shots on AJ’s chin and it wouldn’t even [faze him]. Respect to Jake, he wants to make the big moments and he’d make crazy money for that fight. If you want to do it, do it, but understand the dangers of that fight.”
