YouTube star-turned-boxer Jake Paul has expressed his need to face former heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua within the ring.
Contemporary from his gorgeous victory over boxing icon Mike Tyson, Paul’s aspirations sign a daring transfer into the heavyweight division.
Paul’s promotional associate, Nakisa Bidarian, revealed the bold plan throughout an interview with Sky Sports activities.
“Jake’s suggestions to me was, ‘I need to try this struggle. Not now. However I need to try this.’ To be a world champion at cruiserweight, he needs to do this,” Bidarian stated.
Whereas Paul’s profession has already disrupted conventional boxing norms, a bout with Joshua or different heavyweight contenders like Daniel Dubois would take a look at new boundaries. Bidarian famous that the motivation behind these fights isn’t monetary, as Paul has been a millionaire since age 18, however somewhat to “take a look at the boundaries of what’s doable” and ship moments that captivate the world.
“Jake weighed in at 227lbs for the Tyson struggle however walks round at 215lbs,” Bidarian added.
“For the precise atmosphere and framework, he’s prepared to transcend expectations. It’s about doing issues that make folks say, ‘Wow, that actually occurred.’”
Paul’s intentions come amid hypothesis about Joshua’s future in boxing. Former unified light-welterweight world champion Amir Khan just lately suggested Joshua to concentrate on a extremely anticipated bout with Tyson Fury earlier than retiring.
“Joshua ought to look forward to the large struggle in opposition to Tyson Fury,” Khan informed *New Zealand Day by day*. “AJ has carried out phenomenal in boxing… however why not end on a giant excessive by taking the Fury struggle after which name it a day?”
Joshua, who has earned over $200m in his profession, is at the moment recovering from accidents sustained throughout his knockout loss to IBF heavyweight champion Daniel Dubois in September. Promoter Eddie Hearn has confirmed that Joshua is unlikely to return to the ring earlier than Might 2024.
In the meantime, Fury is making ready for a rematch with unified champion Oleksandr Usyk after dropping his WBC heavyweight title in a cut up choice earlier this 12 months. Ought to Fury fail to reclaim the title, there’s hypothesis {that a} Joshua-Fury bout may very well be staged below Saudi Arabia’s Riyadh Season banner, promising vital monetary backing.
