RUMOURS ARE part of boxing’s lifeblood. They swirl behind closed doors before igniting on social media.
Some are harmless. Fantasy match-ups, for example, that spark healthy debate among fans. But others aren’t harmless at all. They’re corrosive, dangerous, and idiotic, gnawing away at the sport’s credibility and competitive purpose. The latest? The suggestion that Anthony Joshua could face Jake Paul.
We don’t need a tale of the tape to know this is a mismatch of absurd proportions. Wherever they are in their careers, whatever your level of interest in the sport, the very idea of this fight should be knocked clean out of boxing.
For the sake of perspective, let’s remind ourselves what these two men have achieved in the ring. Joshua is a two-time unified heavyweight champion, an Olympic gold medallist, and a fighter who has headlined stadiums. Across a 12-year, 32-fight professional career, he has beaten Dillian Whyte, Wladimir Klitschko, Joseph Parker, and avenged a shock defeat to Andy Ruiz Jr. Before that, he claimed gold in the super-heavyweight division at the 2012 Olympics.
On the other side we have Jake Paul – a YouTuber-turned-boxer whose career has been built not on meritocratic ascent, but on marketing wizardry and careful opponent selection. He’s fought fellow influencers, faded MMA veterans, and the occasional fringe-level boxer, but never a man remotely in Joshua’s league.
Even those who stand to profit from this spectacle acknowledge the imbalance. Joshua’s promoter Eddie Hearn told Boxing News:
“Do I think it’s a competitive fight? No. Do I think it’s a dangerous fight? Yes.”
Boxing has always had an appetite for theatrics. Muhammad Ali vs Antonio Inoki, Oscar De La Hoya vs Shaquille O’Neal, even the exhibitions of Jimmy Wilde and John L. Sullivan many moons ago. But in this case, Paul genuinely believes he can beat Joshua. It might be bravado; it might be delusion. Yet in the Paul brothers’ universe, fuelled by millions of dollars and unshakeable self-belief, it’s a gospel truth. Joshua’s defeat to Daniel Dubois has only emboldened them.
Let’s be clear: Joshua vs Paul would not be a spectacle; it would be a car wreck. And boxing would be humiliated.
We’ve been here before. When Joshua fought Francis Ngannou, at least there was a hook: Ngannou had just knocked Tyson Fury to the canvas and given him a scare. That fight still had a competitive argument. Joshua vs Paul has none.
So how has Joshua’s career arrived at a point where he’s even rumoured to be entertaining this? Joshua and Hearn seem intent on framing it as a noble mission. A one-night crusade to “rid” the sport of Jake Paul. It’s a tidy soundbite, but under scrutiny it collapses.
This is a money-making exercise dressed up as righteous indignation. Joshua remains a major draw; Paul remains an algorithm’s dream. Smash them together, and the result is irresistible to anyone living by the “if it makes dollars, it makes sense” mantra.
But even if Joshua flattened Paul in one round, Paul’s influence wouldn’t wane. The knockout would become content, monetised as effectively as any victory. In the attention economy, even humiliation is fuel – and Joshua’s mere participation is shovelling coal into Paul’s furnace.
Another rumour suggests Joshua’s shortlist includes either Paul or Tony Yoka – another Olympic champion whose career has faltered but was recently thrown a lifeline by Queensberry. If Joshua chooses Paul over Yoka, Zhilei Zhang, a past-his-best Deontay Wilder, or even a trilogy with Dillian Whyte, it would represent a rejection of the competitive spirit that made him a star in the first place.
Joshua is still close enough to world-title contention to make a final run. Boxing history is full of champions in their twilight years being granted one last shot. Just last month, Manny Pacquiao was gifted a title fight against Mario Barrios after four years out of the ring. Joshua doesn’t need Paul to remain relevant.
If Joshua vs Paul is a newcomer’s first boxing experience, what message does that send? Watching one of the best heavyweights of his generation waste time on a bout more suited to reality TV than the sweet science would tell them boxing is nothing more than a circus. And those who show up for the circus rarely stay for the sport.
British boxing, in particular, cannot afford such stunts. Every year, while we’re treated to a handful of great match-ups, the sport’s heartbeat grows fainter. Financial gain is pocketed while the jeers of purists are drowned out. For small-hall fighters grinding for scraps, Paul’s rise is a slap in the face. Proof that followers and clicks can outweigh skill and sacrifice.
If this were just an exhibition, the outrage might soften. We’d shrug, call it what it is, and move on. But if it’s sanctioned as a professional bout, it deserves nothing short of outright condemnation.
Aside from Tyson Fury, Joshua’s legacy has been defined by taking on the best available opposition. Facing Paul would be a wrong turn into irrelevance – and worse, it would encourage others to follow, leaving lasting damage in its wake.
