Amir Khan has sounded a stark warning about the proposed fight between Jake Paul and Anthony Joshua, emphasizing the real dangers that come with mismatched boxing bouts.
Speaking exclusively to the Daily Mail at the IBA 2025 Boxing World Championships in Dubai, Khan expressed concern for the YouTuber-turned-boxer’s safety.
“People get killed in boxing,” Khan said. “That’s the reality of it and that’s the risk of a fight like this.”
Initially, Khan admitted he thought the bout was a joke. “I didn’t believe it at first, I honestly thought it was a wind up,” he explained.
“Then I saw them head to head, and I saw Jake looking up at the sky. I thought, wow, this is actually happening.”
For Khan, the fight is more than just entertainment. It represents a dangerous clash between fame and professional skill, with consequences that could extend beyond the ring.
The risks of mismatched fighters
“I think this could be the end of YouTubers jumping in with real active fighters,” Khan said.
“Because it only takes one shot. One bad night, one clean shot and someone can get seriously hurt. We’ve seen the way someone’s whole life can be altered.”
Joshua, a two-time unified heavyweight champion and Olympic gold medallist, brings power, experience, and training that Paul cannot match.
“AJ can bang,” Khan noted. “He’s got power, size, everything. If he lands clean, the damage he can do is scary. Especially when he is landing it on someone like Jake Paul. He’s still new to the game.”
Khan stressed the stakes, pointing to the risks even for top fighters.
“Boxing is a sport where you can be killed. Imagine AJ freezing him with one shot and catching him clean. That’s not a game anymore. That’s his life. It could never be the same again.”
He also expressed concern over the influence of money in the sport: “Let’s be honest about how boxing works. When there’s big money involved, money talks. If the cheque is big enough, people suddenly stop asking questions. That’s the reality of the sport.”
While Khan hopes the fight is genuine, he warned that anything less than a decisive outcome could tarnish Joshua‘s legacy.
“If AJ wants his legacy to stay intact, he has to win this fight properly,” he said. “Not scrape through, not mess around. He has to knock him out. That’s the only way people will accept it.”
Khan‘s warning is clear: the spectacle may draw attention, but the risks are real, and the consequences could be devastating.
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