Jake Paul’s unanimous-decision win over Julio César Chávez Jr. in Anaheim wasn’t even cold before the 27-year-old influencer-turned-fighter set his sights on a truly gargantuan target: former unified heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua. According to Paul and manager Nakisa Bidarian, DMs have already been exchanged with “AJ,” and a meeting with Matchroom chief Eddie Hearn is pencilled in for late 2026.
“This is the one,” Bidarian told reporters after Paul’s ninth pro victory. “If a title isn’t on the line, the priority is Tommy Fury - if he’s reasonable - or Anthony Joshua. Jake’s adamant: he wants that fight at the end of 2026.” Paul echoed the sentiment, claiming a showdown with Joshua would silence critics who insist he’s yet to face an elite fighter in his prime. “People just want to see me lose,” Paul said. “Anthony Joshua is an insane fight, but that’s the challenge I want.”
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Sceptics note Paul has boxed at heavyweight only once - against a 58-year-old Mike Tyson last November - while Joshua, 35, remains a top contender in boxing’s marquee division. Yet Paul points to Deontay Wilder’s sub-230-lb reign as proof that “anything is possible,” even for a man giving up size and experience. “I’m definitely not a natural heavyweight,” Paul admitted, “but I’ll still take the challenge.”
The road from Honda Center buzz to Wembley Stadium reality is strewn with obstacles: sanctioning bodies, weight disparities and, perhaps most importantly, Joshua’s own career priorities. Nevertheless, the fact that serious talks are even being entertained speaks volumes about Paul’s commercial pull - and boxing’s ever-loosening definition of what constitutes a “real” fight.
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