Anthony Joshua vs Jake Paul could become reality with AJ more likely to fight YouTuber as warm up to Tyson Fury
Joshua has yet to break his silence on his shock showdown
PAUL A JOKE Anthony Joshua vs Jake Paul could become reality with AJ more likely to fight YouTuber as warm up to Tyson Fury
ANTHONY JOSHUA and Jake Paul's freak fantasy fight could become a reality if Tyson Fury stays away with the fairies.
The circus-style showdown between the London 2012 Olympic legend and two-time heavyweight king - and the YouTuber who has made a career out of bullying aging MMA welterweights - has been gathering pace and hype after meetings between the teams.
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Anthony Joshua's team have held talks over a shock showdown with Jake Paul
Credit: GETTY
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Paul, 28, is confident of landing the fight and beating the former heavyweight champ
Credit: GETTY
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AJ will seriously consider the fight if Paul isn't using his name for clout
Credit: GETTY
And, while it sounds like a dangerous and unlikely mismatch, Fury's latest retirement and delay in announcing the overdue AJ duel is making the Watford versus Wonderland farce more and more likely.
SunSport landed in Saudi Arabia on Monday night for the upcoming Moses Itauma versus Dillian Whyte war on Saturday.
And the buzz around the Riyadh show is that 35-year-old Joshua was more likely to sign up for the silly-money cross-over clash than a far more difficult and less financially rewarding traditional scrap.
AJ promoter Eddie Hearn has admitted that his star attraction now has the swansong of his career hinging on a phone call from Fury - who hung up his gloves after back-to-back Oleksandr Usyk decision losses.
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But, in trademark fashion, the 37-year-old Gypsy King is toying and teasing with the idea of returning and changing his mind as regularly as his XL designer underwear.
A source close to the AJ empire explained that, after suffering a brutal fifth-round knockout against Daniel Dubois in September, rebuilding against another bonafide 17st wrecking ball was unlikely.
But if the Paul offer is genuine - and the master marketeer is not just using AJ's blue-chip name to inflate his reputation after dismal back-to-back performances against ancient Mike Tyson and Julio Cesar Chavez Jr - then it is a serious contender for his next assignment.
After seeing what no-nonsense Joshua did in his last hybrid bout - a two-round 2024 demolition job on 19st UFC KO artist Francis Ngannou - there would be serious concern for 28-year-old Paul's safety.
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And whichever country, state or governing body sanctions the bout would come under serious scrutiny if the former Disney actor - who lost to fellow celebrity fighter Tommy Fury in 2023 - is beaten as badly as expected.
The British Boxing Board of Control - one of the most respected bodies in the world - confirmed to SunSport that there would be no guarantee the bout would be sanctioned under their auspices, should they ever receive an application.
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Jake Paul CONFIRMS Anthony Joshua fight and vows to 'shock the world' with huge boxing upset
Joshua has yet to speak publicly about the possibility of a punch-up with Paul, who has been harping on about facing the former two-time unified heavyweight champion at every opportunity.
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