Jake Paul suggests he plans to finally take on the caliber of opponent his detractors have been demanding, potentially as soon as next year.
Paul secured another victory on his boxing record this past Saturday, winning a unanimous decision against former WBC middleweight titleholder Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. in a cruiserweight bout held in Anaheim, California. The performance itself was again seen as less than impressive by some, particularly given Paul appeared significantly bigger than the 39-year-old Chavez. This outcome fueled ongoing criticism that Paul selectively chooses opponents who are smaller or past their prime. However, Paul views this win as a significant career milestone, marking a shift towards a more dedicated pursuit of professional boxing.
Reflecting on his past, including his loss to Tommy Fury, Paul stated he felt he wasn`t truly a dedicated fighter earlier in his career. He attributed this to insufficient preparation, a lack of the right team, and a lifestyle still rooted in his celebrity background rather than full boxing focus. Paul now believes this recent win closes “chapter one” of his boxing journey, indicating he is ready to begin a more serious “chapter two” and intends to eventually avenge the loss to Fury.
Following his 2023 split decision defeat to Tommy Fury, a result often cited by those doubting his boxing legitimacy, Paul has since secured six consecutive wins. However, the caliber of these opponents, including a highly anticipated but controversial bout against 58-year-old Mike Tyson last November, has done little to silence his critics. Signalling his intention for a more serious boxing trajectory, Paul is reportedly now targeting a significantly younger and more challenging opponent: former unified heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua.
Nakisa Bidarian, Paul`s business partner, confirmed that a potential bout with Anthony Joshua is a primary focus of their discussions. Bidarian emphasized Paul`s strong desire to see this fight materialize by late 2026, mentioning they plan to meet with Matchroom, Joshua`s promoter, to explore possibilities.
At 35 years old, Joshua is a respected former unified heavyweight champion known for his formidable power. While he recently suffered a stoppage loss to Daniel Dubois in their IBF title fight in September 2024, he demonstrated devastating form by knocking out Francis Ngannou earlier that year. Facing Joshua would undeniably be a substantial step up in opponent difficulty for Paul.
Despite acknowledging the significant size difference as he is not a heavyweight, Paul expressed enthusiasm for the challenge. He framed the potential fight as a direct response to critics demanding he face elite, in-prime opponents. Paul described a fight against Joshua as “insane” but reiterated his desire for the challenge, revealing they have exchanged messages and spoken directly, suggesting the fight is “looking very likely for next year [2026]”.
Wesley Dunham 
Marcus Blakely