That Jake Paul is now walking into a lion’s den increasingly feels like an understatement. For a fighter who, until now, has faced former MMA champions and retired or semi-retired boxers, stepping in against a heavyweight with nearly a 90% KO rate sounds outright insane. While fans and pundits continue to debate Paul’s decision, one is often forced to consider what must be running through the minds of those who have known the former Disney star up close.

The sudden jump from Tank Davis to Anthony Joshua baffles BJ Flores, a key architect of Jake Paul‘s early boxing rise. Facing a 58-year-old Mike Tyson or a 39-year-old Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. is hardly comparable to taking on a 6-foot-6 behemoth with an 82-inch reach. Joshua may be coming off a tough loss last September and recovering from elbow surgery, but that does nothing to diminish the firepower he brings into the ring.

Paul is entering the danger zone; AJ won’t go easy

In an exclusive conversation, BJ Flores revealed that if it were up to him, he would not have allowed Paul to face Anthony Joshua. “This is a big difference from, you know, anybody else that you know Jake’s fought in the past,” he said plainly.

Flores acknowledged Paul’s desire to take on tougher challenges, and perhaps a Joshua fight aligns with that mindset. Still, he couldn’t wrap his head around the December 19 matchup. “I mean, Anthony Joshua is a guy I would have never dreamed in a million years Jake would have fought him in his fifth year boxing in a fight situation like this,” BJ Flores said.

The very thought of the sudden switch, from a scheduled fight with Gervonta Davis, a lightweight champion, to facing a heavyweight like Joshua, sounds bizarre. Flores struggled to understand the logic behind such matchmaking. But he’s no longer in Paul’s corner. So Flores knows his opinion carries little weight.

A hard climb for Paul

One must consider that Anthony Joshua will do everything in his power to stop Paul early. In fact, a win is more crucial for Joshua than it is for Paul. He knocked out Francis Ngannou in the second round. If the fight at the Kaseya Center stretches beyond two rounds, Joshua’s reputation could take a hit. It could potentially affect future opportunities, including a possible all-British showdown with Tyson Fury.

However, unlike BJ Flores, some commend Jake Paul for taking the fight with Joshua.

Interestingly, Andrew Tate remarked, “So complete respect, huge respect to Jake Paul. I have nothing bad to say about Jake. Everything I was going to say, I can no longer say. So fair play to him. He’s a brave man. He believes in himself.” Tate wished both Paul and Joshua a fantastic fight and hoped they came out unscathed.

That’s quite a statement from someone who has engaged in cheeky back-and-forth with the Cleveland native.

But as a counterpoint, one must note, Tate isn’t a boxer. Flores has been there and done that. With nearly 40 professional bouts, including a world-title challenge against Tony Bellew, he is arguably better equipped to assess the matchup and weigh its pros and cons.

Regardless, the die has been cast. The Netflix headliner on December 19 will reveal what Jake Paul is truly made of. Strictly speaking, after Tommy Fury, this is only the second time he is facing an active boxer. The odds are heavily stacked against him. But even taking AJ the distance would mean accomplishing part of the mission.

Do you agree with BJ Flores’ assessment of the Jake-AJ matchup?