Jake Paul Reveals His Ideal 2026 Opponent After Claiming He’ll ‘Knock Out’ Anthony Joshua
After boldly declaring he will “knock out” Anthony Joshua in their December 19 showdown in Miami, Jake Paul already has his next target in mind. The YouTuber-turned-boxer has steadily rebuilt his image since debuting in 2018, putting together an impressive 12–1 record.
That run includes a unanimous decision over Mike Tyson, but Joshua — a former two-time unified heavyweight champion returning from a 15-month layoff — represents by far his toughest test. Despite losing to Daniel Dubois in September 2024, the 36-year-old remains one of boxing’s biggest global stars and one of the sport’s top earners per PPV punch landed.
Paul entered the official world rankings after beating Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. in June, now sitting 14th at cruiserweight. A win over Joshua would likely put him within touching distance of title opportunities.
Jake Paul Reveals His Desired Opponent After Predicting a KO Over Joshua
Joshua is set to earn a career-high £70 million from the December bout. At Friday’s press conference, he praised Paul and credited him with helping make his return feel natural.
Paul, on the other hand, showed no interest in exchanging compliments. Instead, he vowed to knock Joshua out before shifting focus to who he wants next. He said:
“It’s a huge mistake to look past this fight. I’m knocking this guy out and becoming the CEO of Matchroom Boxing. Next year, it’s me vs Tyson Fury. Look what happened last time they came to America — this is Andy Ruiz 2.0.”
Tyson Fury, the Gypsy King, is at the top of Paul’s wishlist — even before he steps into the ring with Joshua. Paul doubled down on his prediction, insisting he has the tools to stop the former champion:
“I’ve got the power and the timing. I’m a tricky knockout artist, and people don’t give me credit. I’ve got the timing and tricks to land a shot he won’t see coming.”
Joshua has only been stopped once, in his shock 2019 defeat to Andy Ruiz, and has recorded 28 wins in 32 fights, with 25 knockouts. Meanwhile, Paul’s dreams of facing Fury realistically depend on him pulling off the win — and considering Fury has never been knocked out, that challenge would be monumental.
But with confidence sky-high, Paul has made his intentions clear: beat Joshua, then chase Fury.
