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After Joshua, Paul became interested in fighting UFC’s Pereira

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7 months ago

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When Jake Paul’s fight with Gervonta “Tank” Davis was canceled following the revelations of the WBA lightweight champion’s latest legal troubles, the social media influencer turned boxer was determined to land a modern opponent before the end of 2025.

According to reports, there were several potential opponents in the works, but Paul got into a fight with former unified heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua and the two will meet on Friday at the Kaseya Center in Miami, live on Netflix.

“I didn’t expect the Joshua fight to happen this year,” Paul told ESPN about his selection process. “But the plan was always to fight Gervonta Davis and then Anthony Joshua, so we pushed the fight ahead of schedule.”

However, Paul revealed that he was very close to securing a fight against undisputed three-division champion Terence Crawford instead of Joshua, with the only obstacle being the adjustment of event schedules.

“It was very close to being Crawford and not Joshua,” Paul said. “It really came down to timing and wanting to promote the Crawford fight properly. Maybe we’ll do it in 2026 and adjust the schedules because we were so close to making that fight. It’s a huge fight, and when I beat Joshua, it’ll be even bigger.”

However, on Tuesday, after Paul’s speech, Crawford announced he was leaving boxing.

Crawford was one of several fighters Paul told ESPN was on his updated “hit list” of opponents he wanted to fight. He posted his first “hit list” on social media in 2021 and has fought six of his 12 desired opponents so far. Both Joshua and Crawford are on the updated “hit list,” but one other name that was considered for the December fight that wasn’t on his list was former UFC heavyweight champion Francis Ngannou.

An offer was made for Ngannou to face Paul shortly after losing the fight to Davis. However, Ngannou told TMZ that he refused and felt “disrespected” by the idea of ​​getting into a boxing ring with Paul.

“It’s not about the number,” Ngannou said. “I’m not interested. It doesn’t make sense.”

Paul told ESPN he was “surprised” that Ngannou, who lost a split decision to Tyson Fury in October 2023 and was knocked out by Joshua in March 2024, refused to fight him.

“I was definitely surprised, but the players are not very astute people, especially Francis Ngannou,” Paul said. “When he sees that I’m better than him against Joshua, it’ll be obvious what an idiot he is. He screwed up and I think he realizes it now.”

Paul didn’t want to look too far ahead with a fight against Joshua just around the corner, but he did mention another name that was on his “hit list”: UFC delicate heavyweight champion Alex Pereira.

Pereira is the only MMA fighter on Paul’s modern list. However, this may prove to be his toughest fight considering he is still under contract with the UFC and Paul still has a public rift with UFC CEO Dana White. However, with White entering the boxing industry with Zuffa Boxing in 2026, perhaps there is a glimmer of hope that Paul-Pereira’s success will finally be achieved.

“[Dana being a boxing promoter] it definitely makes this fight easier to make,” Paul said. “But I don’t know if the UFC will ever allow one of their MMA fighters to have a boxing fight again. I hope so, and I would be thrilled if they did. But ultimately, I don’t think it’s good for their business to lose one of their superstars to a Disney baby.”

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Boxing

Usyk Analyzes Anthony Joshuas Performance Against Kristian Prenga After Overcoming Two Knockdowns

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15 hours ago

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July 25, 2026

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"Usyk Analyzes Anthony Joshua's Performance Against Kristian Prenga After Overcoming Two Knockdowns"

Oleksandr Usyk has shared his reaction to Anthony Joshua‘s dramatic knockout victory against Kristian Prenga.

Usyk nearly suffered his own shock defeat in May when he was pushed to the limit by kickboxing star Rico Verhoevenand two months on it was nrw teammate Joshua’s turn to come close to a massive upset loss that would have stunned the heavyweight division.

The Brit was dropped twice by massive underdog Prenga in the opening round of their clash in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia on Saturday, but ‘AJ’ managed to recover and record a big knockdown of his own in the second round that resulted in the stoppage victory.

Joshua and Usyk now train together, having famously had two battles for the unified world heavyweight title in 2021 and 2022, and the Ukrainian has had his say on his stablemate’s victory over Prenga.

Speaking to TalkSporttwo-time undisputed champion Usyk praised Joshua, insisting ‘AJ is back’ before predicting that Joshua will now claim a knockout win over long-term rival Tyson Fury in his next bout.

“Anthony Joshua is next undisputed champion. First round it’s a test but AJ is back.

It’s boxing, [the] big upper cut is good, it’s a knockdown. AJ [come] back and win.

“Greedy Belly [Fury] will speak now and say weak chin, Greedy Belly get out. AJ wins [against Fury], [he will] knock him out.”

Fury was victorious on Friday as he earned a seventh round retirement win against Mariusz Wach in Thailand, paving the way for the showdown against Joshua later this year.

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Boxing

Jake Paul Reacts to Anthony Joshuas Stunning Victory Over Kristian Prenga After Two Early Knockdowns

Published

17 hours ago

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July 25, 2026

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"Jake Paul Reacts to Anthony Joshua's Stunning Victory Over Kristian Prenga After Two Early Knockdowns"

Jake Paul was the last man to fight Anthony Joshua and he has now revealed his verdict on AJ’s chaotic victory over Kristian Prenga.

Joshua went up against Prenga in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia on Saturdayin a clash that was expected to be a comfortable win for the former world heavyweight champion in order to set up the long overdue battle against Tyson Fury.

Any hopes of seeing that clash were nearly ended after AJ was dropped twice in the opening round of the bout, though he was able to recover and claim the second round knockout to come out on top and prevent a stunning shock upset from taking place.

Saturday’s outing saw Joshua back in the ring for the first time since his sixth round triumph over YouTuber-turned-boxer Jake Paul back in Decemberand now ‘The Problem Child’ himself has shared his reaction to his former rival’s victory over Prenga.

Posting on social mediaPaul praised AJ for earning the win, after returning to action following the tragic car crash he was involved in at the end of last year which took the lives of his two close friends.

“Happy for Joshua with that win after all he’s been through. Remembering Sina and Latz with this one.”

The win for Joshua should now tee up for meeting with Fury later this year, after ‘The Gypsy King’ held up his end of the bargain by also securing a win in his warm-up bout on Friday, securing a seventh round retirement win against Mariusz Wach.

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Boxing

Tony Bellew Reviews Anthony Joshuas Comeback Victory Over Kristian Prenga After Knockdown Drama

Published

17 hours ago

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July 25, 2026

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Tony Bellew Reviews Anthony Joshua's Comeback Victory Over Kristian Prenga After Knockdown Drama

Anthony Joshua may have earned a knockout win over Kristian Prenga but the fight certainly didn’t unfold as most people expected.

Joshua was facing the Albanian in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia on Saturday, and it looked like a massive upset could be on the cards when he was dropped twice in the opening round.

‘AJ’ was able to recover and went on to secure a second round knockout victory to prevent the shock lossseemingly paving the way for the battle against Tyson Fury later this year.

One man who was ringside to witness the battle was former cruiserweight world champion Tony Bellewand he praised Joshua’s ability to turn things around in the fight after describing it as ‘chaos’.

“We predicted round two but I don’t think we foresaw that. That was chaos. He doesn’t see the uppercut coming and finds himself on the floor without knowing how he got there.

“The second one he did see it coming and he was able to clench down on the jaw. He got up and then the experience that he has he used tonight because he tied him up. Against Andy Ruiz he didn’t know what he was doing and didn’t know how to do that, but tonight he did.

“He showed once again there is no quit. To be that hurt in the first round and get up, that’s the recoveries of power. People talk about your chin, but it’s not, it’s the level of fitness that gets you up from the floor.

“When Joshua gets a fighter hurt he’s the best finisher in the division. Whenever he hurts someone they’re gone. I haven’t seen him drop anybody and they survive, only Andy Ruiz. He’s a ruthless finisher.”

The clash between Joshua and Fury is now expected to be announced soon for later this year, after Fury won his own interim fight on Friday by defeating Mariusz Wach.

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