Anthony Joshua might struggle Jake Paul subsequent earlier than focusing on a highly-anticipated bout towards Tyson Fury in 2026, says the British heavyweight’s promoter Eddie Hearn.
Joshua, who has not fought since shedding to Daniel Dubois in September final yr, underwent elbow surgical procedure in Might however is focusing on a return to the ring later in 2025.
Since then, YouTuber-turned-professional boxer Paul beat veterans Mike Tyson and Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. at heavyweight and cruiserweight respectively.
After defeating Chavez by unanimous resolution final month, Paul audaciously referred to as for a showdown with Joshua and has met with Turki Alalshikh to try to make it occur.
“Turki got here in and stated, ‘I’ll make that struggle’,” Hearn, who additionally held a gathering with Alalshikh and Paul’s supervisor Nakisa Bidarian, informed Sky Sports activities Information.
“Jake Paul’s supervisor has come out and stated, ‘nobody decides who Jake Paul fights however us’. I’ve received a smaller ego on this state of affairs, which is kind of outstanding!
“For us, we need to struggle Tyson Fury, however we’re going to struggle earlier than that Tyson Fury struggle as a result of Tyson Fury is just not going to struggle Anthony Joshua earlier than spring or summer time of 2026.”
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Talking on Toe2Toe, Barry Jones discusses the potential Tyson Fury-Anthony Joshua struggle which he believes will finally occur
Fury is presently retired from boxing however has teased a return to the game, and Hearn continues to be eager to make a Joshua-Fury struggle. He continued: “AJ has been out [of action] for coming as much as a yr in September, so we undoubtedly need to struggle once more.”
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Anthony Joshua’s promoter Eddie Hearn speculates as as to whether his fighter would ever face Jake Paul within the ring
Hearn: An opportunity to ‘extinguish’ Jake Paul from world of boxing
Paul is most well-known for his YouTube profession however has now received 12 fights after launching his skilled profession in 2020.
The 28-year-old suffered defeat to Tommy Fury in 2023 however has gone on to beat former UFC star Nate Diaz, skilled American boxers Andre August and Ryan Bourland, plus former UFC fighter Mike Perry.
A controversially-sanctioned bout towards Tyson is Paul’s solely heavyweight struggle up to now, earlier than he stepped right down to cruiserweight towards Chavez.
“AJ-Paul isn’t a struggle we anticipated, and it is by no means a struggle we have focused,” Hearn stated.
“However if you’d like Jake Paul to be the warm-up struggle [for Fury] – and clearly, financially, it is an incredible alternative for AJ – and also you need to present AJ with the chance to extinguish Jake Paul from the world of boxing, then possibly AJ would oblige.
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“Jake’s a giant, sturdy cruiserweight. I do not assume he is significantly aggressive, however we all know on this planet we reside in, lots of people would watch it.
“It might be the largest struggle that may be made, bizarrely, within the sport. I am not going to sit down right here and inform you, ‘yeah, it is an incredible problem’.
“I believe he will get flattened ASAP, however there will be an enormous quantity of individuals globally that will need to watch that.
“We’ll see. His Excellency stated to us, ‘would you be curious about making the struggle?’ I am unable to say no, as a result of till we all know the proposal, possibly. And if Jake Paul is loopy sufficient to step within the ring with Anthony Joshua, and he is likely to be, due to the sum of money that can be at stake, who is aware of? You could possibly see AJ towards Jake Paul subsequent.”
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