Jake Paul may have finally outgrown the ‘YouTube boxer’ tag—at least in the eyes of Matchroom Boxing head Eddie Hearn. According to the 46-year-old, Paul is now a legitimate contender, ready for a blockbuster showdown with Anthony Joshua. But what prompted the Brit to endorse such a matchup? The answer lies in Paul’s most recent triumph—a commanding victory over Julio Cesar Chavez Jr.
“I’ve surprised myself this week because I actually haven’t given him the respect that I think he deserves,” Hearn told Sky Sports when pressed about Paul’s inclusion in the WBA cruiserweight rankings at the 14th spot after his latest victory. Hearn highlighted that Paul started boxing as a novice, but has since made “big improvements as a boxer.” He feels Paul is taking the sport seriously and isn’t “a YouTuber anymore.”
The British promoter believes Paul has become a full-fledged boxer, but dismissed the idea that Paul is a top 15 cruiserweight. “Is he top 15 in the world? Don’t be so ridiculous. But is he top 100 in the world? Maybe,” Hearn added, emphasizing that it’s a compliment. Despite Chavez Jr.’s decline, Hearn gave ‘The Problem Child’ his props, noting, “He’s a disruptor. He wants to create mad moments.”
RECORD DATE NOT STATED UNTOLD: JAKE PAUL THE PROBLEM CHILD, Jake Paul, 2023. Netflix / Courtesy Everett Collection PUBLICATIONxINxGERxSUIxAUTxONLY
Turning to a potential fight against his star boxer, Anthony Joshua, whom Paul called out after his bout recently, Hearn admitted, “If he wants to be mad enough to get in the ring with Anthony Joshua and make several tens of potentially hundreds of millions, he will do it.” Hearn claimed he would be happy to make this fight happen for just one reason: “I’ll be saying, ‘Yeah, go on mate, go and deal with this guy, get him out of the game.’”
However, personally, Eddie Hearn doesn’t think the fight should be happening at all, but “we live in a completely crazy world, especially in a world of boxing, where you just never know.” Interestingly, however, the prospect of a clash between Jake Paul and Anthony Joshua is far from a novel idea.
The time Jake Paul called out Anthony Joshua and immediately received a phone call
Back in March, Jake Paul left everyone in shock and awe when he boldly called out ‘AJ’ during an episode of BS w/ Jake Paul podcast. Paul claimed he would knock out the former unified heavyweight champion, saying, “He doesn’t have a chin.” Things escalated when the bold statement attracted Joshua’s attention.
FORMULA 1 HEINEKEN DUTCH GRAND PRIX 2023 / 24.08.2023, Circuit Park Zandvoort, Zandvoort, FORMULA 1 HEINEKEN DUTCH GRAND PRIX 2023 , im Bild Der ehemalige Weltmeister im Schwergewicht Anthony Joshua GBR *** FORMULA 1 HEINEKEN DUTCH GRAND PRIX 2023 24 08 2023, Circuit Park Zandvoort, Zandvoort, FORMULA 1 HEINEKEN DUTCH GRAND PRIX 2023 , in the picture The former heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua GBR nordphotoxGmbHx/xBratic nph00250
Shortly after the podcast aired, Paul received a surprising call. “I talked to Anthony on the phone,” Paul revealed during a press conference for the Katie Taylor vs. Amanda Serrano trilogy. “He called me up and said, ‘I saw you call me out, let’s run it. Let’s make it happen.’” ‘El Gallo’ added that the fight would likely transpire sometime in 2026.
With Eddie Hearn’s blessing and Anthony Joshua’s approval, it appears there’s nothing stopping the pair from walking into a ring and duking it out. However, whether these promises make it a reality is yet to be seen. Do you think Jake Paul would go through with the fight? Can Joshua put an end to Paul’s rapid rise?
The post Jake Paul vs. Anthony Joshua Clash Gets Eddie Hearn’s Blessing for One Reason appeared first on EssentiallySports.
