Jake Paul's unanimous decision victory over Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. in June 2025 has kicked off talks for a controversial crossover bout with Anthony Joshua. The boxing world is buzzing with this potential matchup.
Saudi sports official Turki Alalshikh got involved, and that's when things really started moving. Eddie Hearn, Joshua's promoter, says the discussions are "very real" with a 50-50 chance of happening.
With Tyson Fury out of the picture, Joshua might take this blockbuster fight before going after titles again. But not everyone's happy about it.
Journalist Gareth A. Davies thinks it's a mismatch. He said, "Jake Paul is an area-level cruiserweight stepping in with a heavyweight puncher." Davies pointed out Joshua's solid performance against Oleksandr Usyk in their rematch.
Tony Bellew, a former world champ, didn't mince words. He called the proposed bout "dangerously insane" because of the big difference in weight and skill.
Joshua's coming off a tough loss to Daniel Dubois in 2024. But he's still got that elite pedigree and knockout power. Paul, on the other hand, doesn't have much pro experience. Word is, he's willing to take just 1% of the purse to Joshua's 99%.
Paul's manager, Bidarian, says the fight can work physically. He argues Paul's natural weight and previous heavyweight training make it possible, even if it's not a fair fight.
Eddie Hearn admits it's a "catastrophic mismatch" but can't deny the commercial appeal. He said fans would watch "because it would lead to the end of Jake Paul-hopefully not literally."
The boxing community's worried about sanctioning the fight because someone could get seriously hurt. But there's no denying the global interest, especially with Saudi backing and Alalshikh's growing influence in boxing.
Right now, Joshua's still open to the fight. It all comes down to balancing money-making with fighter safety. The debate rages on: Will the spectacle win out over the sport?
