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Will Jake Paul’s fight damage Anthony Joshua’s legacy? It won’t even be remembered

Published

7 months ago

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Do you remember the night you fell in love with boxing?

OK, maybe you didn’t fall head over heels in love with it, but you remember the first time you watched it. You close your eyes and you can see it; it smells, almost. You remember how it shaped you.

For many, Anthony Joshua provided those moments. You knew nothing about this sport, but you had a feeling who was winning. In the end, it was just a fight. You couldn’t look away, jealousy rattling in your bones as, despite your best efforts, you couldn’t get a ticket to Wembley Stadium that evening.

You didn’t know anything about boxing, but you knew it was a massive deal because Joshua was fighting.

“AJ.”

He won. He knocked out the other guy and held all those belts. There was that massive cut that sent a shiver of excitement down your spine as well.

You never forget your first.

Even people who are indifferent to boxing, those who are blessed that the sport has not dominated their lives, remember April 29, 2017: When Anthony Joshua defeated Wladimir Klitschko.

If that night was the only “legacy”, Joshua leaves British boxing having defeated Klitschko in what many people have described as the greatest sporting event they have ever watched. That would be special enough.

But that’s not the case. He gave so much more.

Therefore, those who believe that his fight with Jake Paul will “ruin” or “destroy” his legacy should remember what else he has done for the sport.

Let’s first deal with the word itself, which has been on everyone’s lips since the fight was announced.

Heritage (adj):

Events (plural). Actions (plural).

In Joshua’s case: Olympic gold medal, two-time unified heavyweight champion of the world, 28 wins, 24 by knockout, only four defeats.

Thousands of people packed into mega stadiums just to catch a glimpse of him, something that wasn’t the norm before he appeared on the scene.

But Joshua’s true legacy? Think where British boxing would be without him.

The millions he has made from a sport that many dream of will simply be lost. Joshua took boxing from arenas to stadiums. From bangs to the red carpet.

What about the things you can’t see?

Kids who put trembling hands into gloves for the first time, and many of them probably avoided a life of crime – or worse – thanks to Joshua. The fighters that are going through now started taking the fight seriously because they wanted what AJ had.

They wanted to

The money he raised for charities and the gyms he helped save. Run down, rickety and musty aged buildings that are the beating hearts of the communities they serve. Buildings you didn’t even know existed. We will never know how many lives Joshua changed by going to the gym and spending time with juvenile players.

The things he does away from the cameras.

Daily interactions on the street, people who will forever torment their jealous friends with the “when I met AJ” story. Will the Jake Paul fight destroy that legacy? Is it really that bad?

This is. If it makes money, then it makes sense. And this is not up-to-date. Anyone who says otherwise is lying.

An attention-seeking, in-your-face, absurd and divisive sport. By the way, that’s why we love it. Do you remember when Muhammad Ali had a mixed-rules exhibition fight with professional wrestler Antonio Inoki in 1976? Probably not.

It was a stunt, a laugh, a plan to make money and attract attention. Does anyone care now? Not really.

Joshua’s fight with Paul, whatever you think of it, will simply be a footnote to his brilliant career when all is said and done. Something you discuss in passing over a beer.

So, before you reach for your keyboard and berate Joshua or Paul for taking on the fight you’re watching and reading about, think about those fateful nights.

Think about why you’re watching.

Because this is for crying out clamorous.

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Boxing

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

Published

14 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

16 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

16 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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