Anthony Joshua vs. Jake Paul | NETFLIX - 19 December 2025

[Ruthless-RKO]

Eddie Hearn: Everyone’s jumped the gun about Anthony Joshua-Jake Paul

Anthony Joshua’s promoter Eddie Hearn described reports of the heavyweight nearing an agreement to fight Jake Paul as having “jumped the gun”.

The 28-year-old Paul is pursuing a new opponent after the cancellation of his exhibition with Gervonta “Tank” Davis, scheduled for November 14, following a civil lawsuit that was filed against Davis by his ex-girlfriend Courtney Rossel accusing him of battery, aggravated battery, false imprisonment, kidnapping and intentional infliction of emotional distress.

It was widely reported on Wednesday that Joshua, 36, is on course to be installed as Davis’ opponent for a later date. However Joshua – considered in contention to, unusually, feature on the undercard of the light-heavyweight contest between his fellow Britons Craig Richards and Dan Azeez in Ghana on December 20 – according to Hearn already has a “big fight” planned for February, which would likely rule out him fighting Paul before the conclusion of 2025.

The promoter, of Matchroom, also said that they had previously been considering only a “low-key fight” before then.

“Everyone jumped the gun last night,” Hearn told the BBC. “There has been some conversations.

“Our focus is on 2026. We have a big fight planned for February, and a big fight, hopefully, against Tyson Fury next summer.

“We may run out in 2025. We were just going to have a low-key fight somewhere. If that’s go and destroy the run of Mr Paul and make several tens of millions of dollars in the process, maybe. Nothing’s confirmed yet.”

Paul, incidentally, was previously reported as on the eve of agreeing to fight another high-profile opponent in Saul “Canelo” Alvarez but endured Alvarez favouring a date with William Scull instead.

[joshj909]

So Joshua is in contention to be:
- Headlining Jake Paul for tens of millions in December.
- On the undercard of the Ghana fight on 20/12. Likely against a scrub and for peanuts as it's lower than Azeez/Richards
- Agreed fight in February. Can't see this being anyone bigger than Chisora.
- Against Fury in the summer

[Controversial]

There’s no way JP would fight AJ

[skanksta]

The pair of them are like West Ham & Tottenham in the transfer window ffs...

Pretending they're gonna do all this exciting business then fornicate all happens.

[Taansend]

The pair of them are like West Ham & Tottenham in the transfer window ffs...

Pretending they're gonna do all this exciting business then fornicate all happens.

West Ham have signed over 50 (mainly useless) strikers in the last 10 years, mate

[skanksta]

The pair of them are like West Ham & Tottenham in the transfer window ffs...

Pretending they're gonna do all this exciting business then fornicate all happens.

West Ham have signed over 50 (mainly useless) strikers in the last 10 years, mate

Saying "We're gonna fight AJ!" then fighting... KSI
It's The West Ham way !

[Ruthless-RKO]

[gilgamesh]

So Joshua is in contention to be:
- Headlining Jake Paul for tens of millions in December.
- On the undercard of the Ghana fight on 20/12. Likely against a scrub and for peanuts as it's lower than Azeez/Richards
- Agreed fight in February. Can't see this being anyone bigger than Chisora.
- Against Fury in the summer

He definitely needs to stop with the rumors, and make with the Signed Contract already for something.

[Kilburn]

Just doesn’t seem in keeping with JP’s risk-free approach does it.

I suspect (again) that this will all disappear as quickly as it arrived.

[samwbr]

It was Froch last weekend now AJ, who's next? Haye?

[joshj909]

Just doesn’t seem in keeping with JP’s risk-free approach does it.

I suspect (again) that this will all disappear as quickly as it arrived.

It's a claim to fame though. His end goal is getting beat up by someone who will be well known in the future so he can go on about it over and over again telling people how he lasted a round or landed a punch against the heavyweight champ or something like that. He has the money, deep down he knows he's never going to legitimately win a title against another top cruiser. This almost legitimises him as a boxer whether he wins or loses.

[Kilburn]

But why AJ of all people? It’s not like he’s the heavyweight champ, or even the best in his own country. Seems an odd choice.

[keithmoonhangover]

But why AJ of all people? It’s not like he’s the heavyweight champ, or even the best in his own country. Seems an odd choice.

He has global appeal.

[mickey1975]

But why AJ of all people? It’s not like he’s the heavyweight champ, or even the best in his own country. Seems an odd choice.

He has global appeal.

Has he? I've always thought that was one of Matchrooms biggest myths.

[keithmoonhangover]

But why AJ of all people? It’s not like he’s the heavyweight champ, or even the best in his own country. Seems an odd choice.

He has global appeal.

Has he? I've always thought that was one of Matchrooms biggest myths.

I think you're selling him short mate. Olympic Gold, World Champion, handsome guy, who's done quite a fews advertising campaigns.

[joshj909]

But why AJ of all people? It’s not like he’s the heavyweight champ, or even the best in his own country. Seems an odd choice.

He has global appeal.

Has he? I've always thought that was one of Matchrooms biggest myths.

For a good few years there were more people were paying to see him than anyone not named Canelo. Before Turki came along, he was quite comfortably the second richest active boxer after Canelo or Pacquiao if you considered him active.

[mickey1975]

He has global appeal.

Has he? I've always thought that was one of Matchrooms biggest myths.

I think you're selling him short mate. Olympic Gold, World Champion, handsome guy, who's done quite a fews advertising campaigns.

No, I'm aware he was/is huge here and know exactly what he has done. I don't think hes seen that way around the world.

[keithmoonhangover]

Has he? I've always thought that was one of Matchrooms biggest myths.

I think you're selling him short mate. Olympic Gold, World Champion, handsome guy, who's done quite a fews advertising campaigns.

No, I'm aware he was/is huge here and know exactly what he has done. I don't think hes seen that way around the world.

These words are better than mine.

Anthony Joshua is one of the few modern boxers with true global star power — transcending national boundaries through sporting achievement, personality, and strategic branding. While fighters like Tyson Fury or Canelo Álvarez might rival him in specific markets, AJ’s combination of global recognition, commercial success, and positive public image gives him broad international appeal.

[Deserter]

I think you're selling him short mate. Olympic Gold, World Champion, handsome guy, who's done quite a fews advertising campaigns.

No, I'm aware he was/is huge here and know exactly what he has done. I don't think hes seen that way around the world.

These words are better than mine.

Anthony Joshua is one of the few modern boxers with true global star power — transcending national boundaries through sporting achievement, personality, and strategic branding. While fighters like Tyson Fury or Canelo Álvarez might rival him in specific markets, AJ’s combination of global recognition, commercial success, and positive public image gives him broad international appeal.

ChatGPT?

[mickey1975]

I think you're selling him short mate. Olympic Gold, World Champion, handsome guy, who's done quite a fews advertising campaigns.

No, I'm aware he was/is huge here and know exactly what he has done. I don't think hes seen that way around the world.

These words are better than mine.

Anthony Joshua is one of the few modern boxers with true global star power — transcending national boundaries through sporting achievement, personality, and strategic branding. While fighters like Tyson Fury or Canelo Álvarez might rival him in specific markets, AJ’s combination of global recognition, commercial success, and positive public image gives him broad international appeal.

Well he certainly transcend Americas boundaries when Ruiz filled him in. He hasn't been back since.

[joshj909]

No, I'm aware he was/is huge here and know exactly what he has done. I don't think hes seen that way around the world.

These words are better than mine.

Anthony Joshua is one of the few modern boxers with true global star power — transcending national boundaries through sporting achievement, personality, and strategic branding. While fighters like Tyson Fury or Canelo Álvarez might rival him in specific markets, AJ’s combination of global recognition, commercial success, and positive public image gives him broad international appeal.

Well he certainly transcend Americas boundaries when Ruiz filled him in. He hasn't been back since.

He could become the best known star in boxing in the US overnight then

[Kilburn]

Just doesn’t seem in keeping with JP’s risk-free approach does it.

I suspect (again) that this will all disappear as quickly as it arrived.

It's a claim to fame though. His end goal is getting beat up by someone who will be well known in the future so he can go on about it over and over again telling people how he lasted a round or landed a punch against the heavyweight champ or something like that. He has the money, deep down he knows he's never going to legitimately win a title against another top cruiser. This almost legitimises him as a boxer whether he wins or loses.

I don’t really get your thinking here Josh. What has JP ever said or done that would suggest he would suddenly throw himself to the lions just to be able to say “I was part of boxing history” or something. It doesn’t make sense at all. JP is at the top of a pile. It might be a pile of shit but he’s at the top. I seriously doubt he feels the need to get himself knocked unconscious to prove anything to anyone.

The fight is never happening anyway, and I’m a tad disappointed in myself for even joining in with the nonsense.

[joshj909]

Just doesn’t seem in keeping with JP’s risk-free approach does it.

I suspect (again) that this will all disappear as quickly as it arrived.

It's a claim to fame though. His end goal is getting beat up by someone who will be well known in the future so he can go on about it over and over again telling people how he lasted a round or landed a punch against the heavyweight champ or something like that. He has the money, deep down he knows he's never going to legitimately win a title against another top cruiser. This almost legitimises him as a boxer whether he wins or loses.

I don’t really get your thinking here Josh. What has JP ever said or done that would suggest he would suddenly throw himself to the lions just to be able to say “I was part of boxing history” or something. It doesn’t make sense at all. JP is at the top of a pile. It might be a pile of shit but he’s at the top. I seriously doubt he feels the need to get himself knocked unconscious to prove anything to anyone.

The fight is never happening anyway, and I’m a tad disappointed in myself for even joining in with the nonsense.

His entire life is him trying to prove himself. He's only boxing now because he got beat up by a youtuber in his first fight. After every fight he says how people doubted him for whatever reason but people need to rate him now because he has now beaten a UFC champion or whatever else he's said. He wants credit but he doesn't know how to get it through hard work. Nobody over the age of 18 considers him a legitimate boxer and that clearly hurts him because he tries to justify himself every time but it only works for kids. After his fight with Tyson it was about how he has fulfilled his dream and beaten a legend, same with Anderson Silva. He wants stories he can boast about, claims to fame and to be given credit for achieving things. Going into a matchup with Davis, Canelo or Joshua gives him some of that.

I'm not saying he is going to take this fight but what do you think his end goal is in the sport? It has to be one of a few things which are to make money, face some legends and get gifted a belt against the worst possible opposition. He can walk away from this fight saying he faced a former champ, "a legend", with a pocket full of cash and he'll say if he's good enough to face Joshua then he's a proper boxer. It might be a load of nonsense but he's a twat that only needs to convince himself, his cronies and his teenage fans.

[Ruthless-RKO]

Apparently it’s a done deal.

[KiwiRider]