Jake Paul has revealed he is actively provoking Anthony Joshua by referencing his knockout losses, confirming that “trash talk” is escalating between the two behind the scenes.
Earlier this year on his podcast, Paul had boldly challenged the two-time heavyweight champion, asserting he would knock Joshua out. AJ responded by literally calling Paul, who then suggested a potential fight date in 2026.
Paul now says they are privately exchanging barbs via social media direct messages. He shared that their initial interactions were cordial. However, Joshua recently messaged him an “LOL” about a training clip, prompting Paul to reply with an image of AJ being knocked out. Paul admitted this signifies they`re “s*** talking” privately but maintains respect for Joshua, calling him a “great guy” and believing a fight would be “awesome” and that he could win.
Joshua, 35, hasn`t fought since his September knockout defeat by Daniel Dubois, 27, at Wembley, a fight that followed elbow surgery in May.
Promoter Eddie Hearn indicated AJ hopes to return before the year ends. Meanwhile, Paul is set to face former middleweight world champion Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. on June 28 on DAZN PPV.
This follows Paul`s move up to heavyweight last November to fight Mike Tyson, who made a controversial return at 58. Over 100 million people watched Paul`s eight-round points victory on Netflix, a preparation for which required him to gain two stone (approximately 28 pounds).
Paul, who bulked up on pasta, steaks, and potatoes, described the heavyweight transition as “brutal.” He felt the weight was excessive, his body wasn`t suited for it, and he felt “too fat” in the ring, concluding that cruiserweight is his “perfect weight.”
For the Chavez fight in California, Paul will drop from 16 stone 2 pounds (around 226 lbs) to the 200lb (14 stone 4 pounds) cruiserweight limit.
The Chavez fight materialized after Canelo Alvarez, 34, unexpectedly withdrew from a planned May 3 fight with Paul in Las Vegas, instead signing a deal with Saudi Arabia`s Turki Alalshikh. Canelo, who beat Chavez on points in 2017, recently unified his super-middleweight titles by defeating William Scull in May. Canelo will now defend his 168lb title against undefeated Terence Crawford, 37, on September 13, forcing Paul to explore other options.
Regarding Chavez Jr., Paul stated they have communicated for a long time, and Chavez was always an opponent he wanted to face. He believes fighting a former world champion now is the “perfect sense” move to build his resume and gain more high-profile ring time.
Paul also mentioned being in discussions for potential fights against current cruiserweight champions Gilberto “Zurdo” Ramirez, 33, and Badou Jack, 41. With the possibility of an exhibition against Gervonta Davis, 30, also on the table, Paul playfully claimed he is boxing`s most sought-after individual. He joked about being like Megan Fox from Transformers, with “everyone wanting” to fight him, noting the extensive list of potential opponents including Canelo, Davis, Joshua, Jack, Ramirez, Tommy Fury, and KSI. Paul emphasized that finding a fight depends on what “makes sense” financially and strategically, but he would “for sure entertain” a bout with Anthony Joshua when negotiations arise.
