Boxing fans are well-accustomed to the expression, “never say never“. In this sport, truly anything is possible. From UFC star Francis Ngannou knocking down Tyson Fury in a boxing match to Manny Pacquiao returning to fight for a world title at 46 years old, there are countless possibilities in the sport. So when Jake Paul called out Anthony Joshua, it wasn’t just a shot in the dark.
The conversations behind closed doors have been real, and the ones who would work on bringing that fight to life have already spoken in detail about the possibility to the media. From an analytical perspective, the fight doesn’t make sense given the size difference and the sheer gap in experienced competition the two have faced. But no one is discrediting the potential of it coming to fruition, and it may be closer to happening than we think.
MVP CEO Nakisa Bidarian is eyeing Wembley Stadium early in 2026 as venue for Paul vs. Joshua
Nakisa Bidarian, the CEO of Paul’s company Most Valuable Promotions, has come out to hype up the potential fight a little bit more. Bidarian claims that Paul is very serious about taking part in the bout despite the big height and weight difference. Paul doesn’t seem to see Joshua as the threat he once was.
I think size wise, we can get comfortable with it, and I think experience wise, Jake is learning very fast and growing, and Joshua is a little long in the tooth. So it could be a very interesting matchup, and we’re actively discussing it with Matchroom… It’s a fight that Jake wants to do, and that’s a discussion we’ve had at length, and he feels very confident about where he is in his career and his chances of upsetting Anthony Joshua.
Bidarian mentions the idea of holding the fight at Wembley Stadium at the start of 2026. That’s what Paul seems to want, but it will come down to the negotiations and whether Joshua actually is open to it. Joshua’s promoter, Eddie Hearn, has already said that a fight between the two is possible because it serves as a tune-up for Joshua before a potential Tyson Fury bout.
Bidarian says that Paul has way more boxing experience than Ngannou, who faced Joshua last year. The problem is that Ngannou ended up getting knocked out. Paul simply hasn’t taken a risk like that before, despite what he and Bidarian may think about a 58-year-old Mike Tyson.
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