Anthony Joshua has been advised against fighting Jake Paul, with boxing pundits Spencer Oliver and Gareth A Davies warning that it would damage his credibility.
Paul recently criticized Joshua’s “skill” and “chin” on social media, prompting Joshua to tease a potential clash in 2026.
Oliver and Davies acknowledged that a fight between Joshua and Paul would be lucrative, but insisted that Joshua’s priorities should lie elsewhere. “One thing that Jake Paul does is draw huge numbers,” Oliver said.
“There’s not a fighter that wouldn’t fight him because there’s huge money on the table, that’s the fact. But do we want to see it? No. I don’t think we could. I think…no, I’m going to rephrase that, I don’t think we could see it but later rather than sooner.”
Davies added that Joshua needs to focus on regaining his position in the heavyweight division. “AJ needs to get back to what he does best, and that’s fighting top-level heavyweights,” Davies said.
“He needs to get back to winning ways and proving himself as one of the best heavyweights in the world.”
Joshua has been out of action since his defeat to Daniel Dubois last September, and his plans to fight Tyson Fury were scuppered when Fury announced his retirement.
With his next move uncertain, Joshua would do well to heed the advice of Oliver and Davies and focus on rebuilding his reputation in the heavyweight division.
Furthermore, a fight against Jake Paul would not provide Joshua with the competitive challenge he needs to regain his footing in the heavyweight division. Paul, despite his social media fame and boxing ambitions, is still a relatively inexperienced boxer. A victory over Paul would not carry the same weight as a win against a top-ranked heavyweight contender.
Additionally, Joshua’s legacy and reputation as a professional boxer are at stake. He has worked hard to establish himself as one of the top heavyweights in the world, and a fight against Paul could undermine that reputation. Joshua’s team would do well to prioritize his long-term career goals over the short-term financial gain of a fight against Paul.