Reports indicate that Jake Paul and Anthony Joshua are nearing an agreement for a December fight, as the matchup would mark a dramatic leap in competition for Paul, the YouTuber-turned-boxer who recently entered the WBA’s top 15 cruiserweight rankings.
“That’d be career suicide for Jake Paul,” one veteran fight official said after learning of the reports. Joshua, who has only lost to Oleksandr Usyk, Daniel Dubois, and Andy Ruiz, was initially linked to a November 22 tune-up fight on the Riyadh Season card in Saudi Arabia. However, negotiations with Paul have reportedly taken priority as Joshua looks to rebound from his knockout defeat to Dubois in September 2024.
Paul was originally slated to face Gervonta “Tank” Davis in an exhibition bout this week in Miami, but the event was canceled following Davis’ latest legal troubles. According to Most Valuable Promotions, Paul has since begun recruiting heavyweight sparring partners to prepare for a possible clash with Joshua. “This is a legitimate challenge,” said DAZN analyst Sergio Mora. “Going from a 5-5 lightweight he’s going to bully around 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.”
The potential matchup has raised serious regulatory questions. “I don’t know how it could even get sanctioned,” one trainer mentioned, pointing to Joshua’s proven knockout power. In March 2024, the British star floored former UFC heavyweight champion Francis Ngannou in the first round and finished him in the second.
While Paul has shifted his drug testing oversight from VADA to the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency, officials remain in the dark on fight logistics. Tim Shipman, head of the Association of Boxing Commissions and Florida’s athletic commission, confirmed he has not yet received any requests for a venue or sanctioning details. “I won’t discuss anything about it until I receive the information from them,” Shipman said.
If finalized, a Paul-Joshua fight would mark one of the most unorthodox and controversial crossovers in modern boxing history.
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