Well! Gervonta Davis might not like this. But one of his former opponents has nothing but praise for Jake Paul. Why? For taking Anthony Joshua as an opponent, of course. ‘Tank’ Davis was supposed to face ‘The Problem Child’ on November 14 at Kaseya Center in Miami, Florida, live on Netflix. However, things fell apart quickly after Davis’ ex-girlfriend filed a lawsuit against him for a plethora of charges. 

Paul’s Most Valuable Promotions (MVP) moved quickly in the aftermath, booting Davis from the fight and replacing him with Anthony Joshua. Most people recognized the move from Paul, praising him for taking an even tougher challenge. This was a stark shift from the sort of opponents people have come to expect from ‘El Gallo,’ and it has impressed Frank Martin as well, who dropped an eighth-round knockout against Gervonta Davis last year. 

Frank Martin doesn’t view Jake Paul as a YouTube boxer anymore

“That’s a whole flipflop… You went from a lightweight big puncher, then you went to a heavyweight big puncher… That’s a tough task right there,” Martin told Fight Hub TV when asked about his thoughts on Paul’s move to challenge Joshua after the Davis fight fell apart. He went as far as to suggest that Paul shouldn’t be considered a ‘YouTube boxer’ anymore, thanks to the experience he has gained over the years in the sport.

“Jake… I wouldn’t consider him a YouTube fighter [anymore]… I feel like he put in the time. He’s gotten better throughout, like all his fights…,” Martin added. Still, this doesn’t mean Frank Martin thinks the Cleveland native stands a chance against Joshua when the bright lights are turned on. “But it’s still like when you [are] fighting like fighters who actually like [have been doing] it for their whole life, it’s a little different.”

When the reporter reminded Martin that Joshua had knocked out former UFC heavyweight champion Francis Ngannou, Martin decided to give Paul his props for taking the fight. “We [are] gonna see, but I definitely give Jake a lot of claps for all the work that he’s put in and what he [has been] doing for the sport. If that fight happens, it’ll be a good money fight. But that’s a more tough task for [Paul compared to Gervonta Davis],” Martin told Fight Hub TV.  

Martin concluded his take by warning Jake Paul about the dangers of sharing the ring with someone like Anthony Joshua. “Jake [is] going to get that big a— heavyweight ‘AJ.’ You know, I know ‘AJ’ personally, so that’s [a] tough task, and that motherf—ker could punch.” It’s not just a tough task—it’s nearly impossible for Jake Paul to win, even though the Brit has seen a decline in recent years. 

Joshua is coming off a fifth-round knockout loss to Daniel Dubois late last year. And his chances of securing another title fight appear to be dwindling as he slowly approaches 40. The only feasible reason Joshua took this fight was because of the money involved in it. Not to mention, beating up Jake Paul could only boost his already immense popularity among the masses. Ending his career that way does make sense for a man who has fought his entire life. 

But the question is, how does ‘AJ’ justify taking a fight against Jake Paul?

Why Anthony Joshua chose ‘El Gallo’ Paul? 

As fight fans process the shock of Jake Paul stepping in against a former two-time heavyweight champion and Olympic gold medalist, Anthony Joshua has made it clear why he accepted the unexpected matchup. For Joshua, the decision comes down to elevating boxing’s commercial appeal. “You’ve got ability, and you have marketability in boxing,” he told MMA Junkie, stressing that even elite fighters struggle if they can’t draw eyes. 

“You can have the two best fighters with the best ability, but they don’t have marketability… broadcasts aren’t interested, and fans aren’t interested.” Joshua believes fighting Paul presents a rare opportunity to merge both worlds. “I looked at it and said, ‘Wow. This is a great opportunity to showcase myself to the whole world,’” he explained. 

Confident in his own preparation rather than Paul’s perceived shortcomings, he added, “God willing, I get the job done, and I hurt Jake in spectacular fashion.”

From the looks of things, Anthony Joshua is ready for the challenge ahead of him. As for Jake Paul, he appears to have won over more hearts with his move, including Frank Martin’s. Do you agree with him? Or do you think Paul has a long way to go?