Anthony Joshua losing to Jake Paul 'would be an absolute disaster,' promoter says

Anthony Joshua volition spell up against Jake Paul connected Saturday nighttime arsenic the latest hostile for the spectacle that the YouTuber-turned-boxer has engineered successful the sport.

Joshua has each of the advantages going into the bout. He has the experience, the height, the value and the scope implicit Paul. The British superstar has victories implicit Wladimir Klitschko, Andy Ruiz Jr. and Francis Ngannou successful his career, portion Paul has victories implicit Mike Tyson, Nate Diaz and Julio Cesar Chavez Jr.

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Anthony Joshua stands connected signifier during a face-off against Jake Paul astatine a quality league promoting their upcoming heavyweight boxing match, Wednesday, Dec. 17, 2025, successful Miami Beach, Florida. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky)

Those cardinal stats are wherefore Joshua losing to Paul would beryllium "an implicit catastrophe and awfully embarrassing," according to boxing promoter Eddie Hearn.

Hearn expressed his sentiment astir the combat successful a BBC column. He said it was "crazy" for Joshua to spell up against Paul but acknowledged that it was portion of a strategy to revitalize the two-time satellite heavyweight champion and Olympic golden medalist’s career.

"AJ volition combat against a world-class hostile successful February and — if each goes good — helium volition past combat Tyson Fury," Hearn wrote.

"So there’s a method to this madness and taking this combat (against Paul) does not impact AJ’s legacy. But losing to Jake oregon it adjacent going the region would. It would beryllium an implicit catastrophe and awfully embarrassing."

Hearn besides made wide that the combat was not scripted.

Jake Paul, left, and Anthony Joshua look disconnected during a quality league promoting their upcoming heavyweight boxing match, Wednesday, Dec. 17, 2025, successful Miami Beach, Florida. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky)

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"Firstly, we’d beryllium investigated by the FBI if it was," helium wrote. "It would beryllium illegal. This is simply a nonrecreational contention and a sanctioned bout wherever radical are betting connected it.

"And bash you deliberation I would ever let AJ to person a publication with Jake? A publication wherever we mightiness suffer oregon adjacent clasp him up and look bad? No way. We are not giving this feline an borderline oregon a accidental to say, ‘Told you I was amended than AJ’ oregon ‘I won rounds.’ This would beryllium catastrophic for AJ and we’re not going to hazard that."

It volition beryllium the biggest situation of Paul’s vocation truthful far. He lone has 1 blemish connected his grounds successful a nonaccomplishment to Tommy Fury.

"When I sound retired Anthony Joshua and win, I'm the look and king of boxing, and radical undeniably won't beryllium capable to accidental anything. It's soundlessness crossed the board," Paul told Fox News Digital earlier this month. "So they deliberation that they person maine successful the corner, but I truly person the satellite cornered, and it's precisely wherever I privation them to be.

Jake Paul and Anthony Joshua beforehand their upcoming heavyweight boxing match, Wednesday, Dec. 17, 2025, successful Miami Beach, Florida. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky)

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"I cognize God is connected my broadside and I person religion successful that. He's ever guided maine successful everything that I've done successful my boxing vocation and successful my life. And truthful I tin locomotion into that ringing with utmost confidence, knowing that this is the close infinitesimal for me."

Fox News’ Ryan Morik and the Associated Press contributed to this report.

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