Joseph Parker says a potential fight between Anthony Joshua and Jake Paul “doesn’t make any sense at all,” at least not if Joshua is serious about competing at the top level in boxing.
Parker, who faced and lost to Joshua in 2018, says Paul is “not really a real boxer.”
“AJ was a great champion when he was champion. And if he is serious about boxing and serious about still being involved in the sport at a top level, that fight doesn’t make any sense at all,” Parker told Sky Sports.
“Jake Paul has done
well, you know, to promote himself in saying that he’s one of the best in the world, but if you look at it, he’s not really a real boxer. He’s a YouTuber come into boxing, and he has done well. But if AJ wants to be serious, then he needs to fight the top fighters in the world.”
Negotiations for Joshua vs Paul to happen at the end of 2025 fell apart, which surprised almost nobody who has actually followed the Jake Paul “boxing career” saga, and instead Paul will face 135 lb titleholder Gervonta “Tank” Davis in a November exhibition.
Joshua (28-4, 25 KO) hasn’t fought since he was knocked out by Daniel Dubois a year ago, and though there are constant reports that he could fight late in 2025 or early in 2026, the only serious negotiations seem to have been for a bout with Paul (12-1, 7 KO), which were possibly not as serious as the Joshua side hoped but could be revisited next year.
Parker (36-3, 24 KO) is now set to face Fabio Wardley on October 25, after hopes for a WBO-ordered fight with undisputed champ Oleksandr Usyk were clearly going nowhere, with his team openly questioning whether Usyk has any intention to face Parker at any point.
