In a full 180-degrees piece of matchmaking, Jake Paul is taking himself from one extreme to another by moving toward a December showdown versus two-time former heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua.
“That’d be career suicide for Jake Paul,” one veteran fight official opined Wednesday after seeing reports that Paul and Joshua are nearing competition of a deal to pit the YouTuber and freshly ranked top-15 WBA cruiserweight Paul versus the 2012 Olympic gold medalist from the U.K. who’s only lost to undisputed heavyweight champion Oleksandr Usyk and former champions Daniel Dubois and Andy Ruiz.
Joshua, 28-4 (25 KOs), was in serious talks to take a tune-up fight on the November 22 Riyadh Season card in Saudi Arabia, according to a fight official, but he’s now closer to returning from his four-knockdown knockout loss to Dubois in September 2024 versus Paul.
Paul, 12-1 (7 KOs), was due to fight unbeaten WBA lightweight champion Gervonta “Tank” Davis Friday in Miami on Netflix, but Davis was wrapped up in another alleged domestic violence episode and Paul’s Most Valuable Promotions yanked him from the exhibition fight.
Paul has stated before he wanted to fight Joshua, but following his victories over MMA fighters and other lesser foes, few took him seriously.
“Wow! I finally got to give him credit,” DAZN boxing analyst and former 154lbs champion Sergio Mora told BoxingScene Wednesday following a report by his colleague Chris Mannix of Sports Illustrated that Paul-Joshua negotiations were intensifying, which was followed by a report from The Ring on the topic.
“This is a legitimate challenge: Going from a 5-5 lightweight he’s going to bully around (Gervonta Davis) to a former heavyweight champion who’s likely going to bully him around. I’ve got to respect a man who’s signed up to get his ass whooped on national television.”
BoxingScene reported following the Davis cancellation that Paul was recruiting heavyweight sparring partners to prepare for his next fight.
“I don’t know how it could even get sanctioned,” said a trainer who has worked with heavyweights. “[Joshua is] one of the most dangerous punchers in the sport.”
In March 2024, Joshua knocked down former UFC heavyweight champion Francis Ngannou in the first round and finished him with a wicked second-round punch.
Paul has turned away from testing with the Voluntary Anti Doping Association in favor of the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency, an official told BoxingScene Wednesday.
Tim Shipman, head of the Association of Boxing Commissions and the Florida athletic commission, told BoxingScene he has yet to receive any requests from Paul’s Most Valuable Promotions over requests for a venue, date or whether the bout will be a professional or exhibition fight.
“I won’t discuss anything about it until I receive the information from them,” Shipman said.
