Oleksandr Usyk knows exactly what Jake Paul is walking into. After spending over an hour in the ring with Anthony Joshua across two high-level fights, the former undisputed heavyweight champion has zero doubts about how this December matchup ends.
Usyk beat Joshua twice before claiming every major heavyweight title, so he understands the power, pedigree, and presence Joshua brings. And that’s exactly why he doesn’t see any scenario where Paul pulls off an upset, no matter how much the YouTuber-turned-boxer hypes himself up.
“If Anthony Joshua wants, he will kill this guy,” Usyk told Boxing Scene. “Listen, a lot of questions, blah, blah, blah … Anthony Joshua is an Olympic champion, first. Jake Paul, yeah a sportsman, a YouTuber, a showman.
“[Anthony Joshua is a] Rolls Royce, [Jake Paul is a] Fiat. Listen, it’s true. It’s just true.”
Paul is walking into the deepest, scariest waters of his boxing career. Joshua has the experience, the power, and the resume, while Paul is still trying to prove he belongs on this level. Joshua goes into the fight as the overwhelming favorite, even as Paul insists he’s ready to shock the world, score a knockout, and launch himself into the conversation for a world title shot.
However, Usyk isn’t buying that. He’s more concerned about Paul making it to the final bell.
“Yes, I will pray [for] Jake Paul,” Usyk said. “Because I want to fight with Jake Paul in the octagon.”
With Paul preparing for Joshua on Dec. 19, Usyk is coming off a brutal fifth-round knockout win over Daniel Dubois in July, which pushed his undefeated record to 24-0.
The Ukrainian star doubled down on his prediction during a recent media scrum shared by @boxingscene on X, where he repeated his blunt assessment.
“If Anthony Joshua want, Anthony kill this guy. Listen a lot of questions blah, blah, blah, only one, my answer. Anthony Joshua is Olympic champion, first. Jake Paul is yeah, sportsman, YouTuber, yeah, showman. Rolls Royce, Fiat. Listen, it’s true. I’m not gonna say better one. It’s just true. It’s business, more money. Only this… I will pray Jake Paul because I want fight with Jake Paul in octagon.”
Even with his strong stance on the Joshua vs. Paul matchup, Usyk still has his own ambitions inside the ring. He’s openly expressed interest in fighting former WBC heavyweight champion Deontay Wilder next, calling the
“Bronze Bomber” one of the greatest heavyweight figures of the last decade and his top choice for a future opponent.
Wilder recently returned to form with a seventh-round stoppage win over Tyrrell Herndon after tough losses to Joseph Parker and Zhilei Zhang. Meanwhile, Usyk’s last outing saw him stop Dubois again in their July rematch.
With the Joshua-Paul circus building toward December, one thing remains clear: Usyk sees only one possible outcome and survival, not victory, is the real battle Jake Paul will be fighting.
