The echoes of Jake Paul vs. Anthony Joshua now reverberate across the world, and Deontay Wilder heard them loud and clear during a visit to Dubai. The former heavyweight champion made an appearance at IBA Pro 13, where interim champion Kubrat Pulev defends his WBA (Regular) title against Murat Gassiev.

After a spate of losses, Wilder returned to the win column with a seventh-round TKO over Tyrrell Anthony Herndon late in June this year. The latest buzz suggests a potential matchup with Oleksandr Usyk. As the media pressed him about a fight with the unified titleholder, questions about the Jake Paul-Anthony Joshua matchup invariably surfaced. And like many, Deontay Wilder believes the fight at the Kaseya Center next Friday may not be as legitimate as it’s being portrayed.

Jake Paul vs. Anthony Joshua: A fight written before it’s fought?

The former champion didn’t mince words. Expressing his doubts on the Paul-Joshua fight, he said, “I think it’s scripted.” His reasons were straightforward. First, the weight difference. Barring a few exceptions, such as the Mike Tyson fight, Jake Paul has mostly competed as a cruiserweight. Now, he’s making a huge leap to face a heavyweight like Anthony Joshua.

Second, Wilder pointed at activity. Joshua may have suffered a major setback when Daniel Dubois knocked him out last year. The elbow injury, followed by surgery, only added to his troubles. Still, he remains far more active than the retired and semi-retired fighters Paul has faced in the past.

“This is going to be the first time that we see Paul fighting an active fighter,” Deontay Wilder said, adding, “We’ve seen him and Mike Tyson; it was all fun, that was cute. It’s fun and games and stuff. But now you’re dealing with a real professional.”

Even in conclusion, Wilder didn’t soften his stance, again suggesting that Paul vs. AJ could be scripted. The only thing he hoped for was that everyone would go home safely without any serious injuries.

Paul-AJ: A fight caught between belief and suspicion

A look at the kickoff press conference, when Paul and Joshua faced off for the first time, does lend some weight to the doubts echoed by Wilder and many others. Earlier, even Hall of Fame trainer and former champion Barry McGuigan expressed similar concerns.

“It’s hard to believe there isn’t some undisclosed agreement,” he reportedly said during an interview with Betway.

Much of the speculation stems from last November’s fight against Mike Tyson. Despite the 30-year age gap and Tyson’s medical challenges, the fight went ahead. While the event at Cowboys Stadium was a blockbuster, the headliner between Paul and Tyson came under heavy scrutiny, sparking doubts about its legitimacy.

Still, many consider the upcoming fight genuine and continue to speculate about the outcome.

For now, based on credentials, Anthony Joshua remains the heavy favorite. But some still believe Jake Paul could pull off a miracle. Though he admitted he doesn’t know much about boxing, MMA legend Demetrious Johnson believes Paul can score a huge upset.

“Anthony Joshua has been knocked out by some weird a** shots… Jake Paul can land one of those shots. If Anthony Joshua gets on his bicycle and fights him like a boxer, he can destroy Jake Paul.  But I don’t see it happening. I feel that Jake Paul can potentially knock out Anthony Joshua,” the former UFC champion stated.

To some, that may appear like a wild take. But it also shows that not everyone believes Paul vs. AJ is a scripted affair. What’s your take on Wilder’s views? Do you agree with his assessment of the Paul-AJ fight?