New York, New York – July 11: Jake Paul lives Netflix Live event at: Katie Taylor vs Amanda Serrano in Madison Square Garden on July 11, 2025 in New York City. (Photo by Cindy Ord/Getty Images)
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Believe it or not, Jake Paul is on top of a shortlist of potential opponents and then fighting Anthony Joshua.
Joshua’s promoter Eddie Hearn recently appeared on Sky Sports, and he called Paul the “leader” for the fight with Joshua and admitted that it was “bizarre” for Paul and his team to believe that they have the chance to beat the former heavyweight champion.
Hearn says, “I really believe we’ll see this early 2026.”
Joshua comes from a crushing Ko loss for former champion Daniel Dubois. Joshua has taken his time to be physically and mentally right. He thinks he is a huge favorite than Paul, but it is impossible to deny.
When it comes to bloom, Joshua will be by far the stiffest competition that Paul has confronted in his still boxing career. Paul has done enough to create at least a glimpse of questions about the potential result.
But it’s just a glimpse.
As usual, the commentary section is entertaining.
“AJ is an absolute shame when he continues with this fight against Jake Paul,” wrote a commentator. “Absolute sale. He would never have to fight a really heavyweight again.”
A second said: “Would be hilarious if JP throws a wild blow and AJ’s jaw catches.”
A third said: “AJ puts him in 1 round. Legitimate.”
Hearn also looks at a potential fight for Joshua with Tyson Fury, who recently seems to be retiring. Joshua’s situation is a stranger. His direct way back to a world title shot is not very clear. He has fought and lost from the current undisputed heavyweight champion Oleksandr Usyk twice, although the second meeting was very close.
Joshua was also stopped by Dubois, the man USNEK has just been eliminated for the second time. It seems that Joseph Parker has the best shot to challenge the world title, and the heavily charging young heavyweight star Moses Itauma could be the last real challenge for Usyk before he hangs the gloves.
What does that mean for Joshua? It may mean that you participate in the best paying attacks while you are still active. He becomes 36 in October, which is not old for a heavyweight, but at the moment he has many kilometers on his tires.
If Joshua were to have three more fights in his career, a meeting with Paul, Fury and Potential Deontay Wilder, who is also on the comeback path, would send every remaining box that he had had during his career and send him an even richer man.
I would expect that an announcement on Joshua-Paul will fall in the coming months, and as Hearn said, the internet will break when it is announced and when it happens.
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