Jake Paul is once again making bold claims about his boxing prowess—this time, setting his sights on former unified heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua.
Fresh off a decision win over 58-year-old former undisputed heavyweight champion Mike Tyson in November, Paul is looking for his next big fight. Despite the controversy surrounding the Tyson bout, the 28-year-old YouTuber-turned-boxer remains confident in his skills and ambitions. Now, he’s openly challenging Joshua, believing he has what it takes to defeat the British powerhouse.
During a recent episode of his podcast, BS w/ Jake Paul, he didn’t hold back.
“I know my boundaries,” Paul said. “I want to fight Anthony Joshua—exclusive—because I know that I will f**king beat Anthony Joshua’s ass. He doesn’t have a chin, he has no skill, and he’s stiff. And I love you, Anthony. We’re friends and all that sh*t, but I want to fight you.”
Paul has been actively competing, securing knockout victories over Ryan Bourland and BKFC star Mike Perry in 2024. He boasts an 11-1 professional boxing record, with his only loss coming via split decision against Tommy Fury in February 2023. Since then, he has bounced back with five consecutive wins.
His confidence isn’t limited to Joshua. Paul has previously claimed he could defeat multi-weight champion Canelo Alvarez, although that fight never materialized. Alvarez dismissed the idea, insisting he only wanted to face “real fighters” and instead signed a lucrative four-fight deal with Riyadh Season.
However, Paul has also admitted there are certain fighters he knows he wouldn’t stand a chance against. Speaking candidly on his podcast, he acknowledged that one man would be a step too far.
“I will beat Canelo, I will beat a lot of f**king people, but I will not beat David Benavidez,” Paul admitted. “I would get torn up, bro. This guy is different.”
Fueling speculation about a potential Joshua showdown, Paul took to X (formerly Twitter) to post a cryptic photo of what appeared to be a phone call with Joshua, captioning it: “Look who called. 2026 @anthonyjoshua.”
Joshua, 35, also seemed to engage with the challenge, sharing a screenshot of a five-minute-plus phone call with Paul on his Instagram Stories.
As of now, nothing has been officially confirmed, but the prospect of Paul stepping into the ring with a former heavyweight champion like Joshua is sure to generate buzz. While some fans believe he’s biting off more than he can chew, Paul remains adamant about his long-term goal—winning championship gold.
For now, boxing fans will have to wait and see if this fight becomes a reality or if it’s just another headline-grabbing moment from The Problem Child.
