By announcing a fight against Anthony Joshua, Jake Paul hopes to silence critics who have long accused him of choosing retired or semi-retired opponents. Joshua, a bona fide heavyweight, may be past his prime. Yet he still poses a visible threat, enough that some observers now express concerns for Paul’s safety. To prepare himself for the ordeal, Paul pushes hard in training camp. He brought in Shakur Stevenson and Raymond Ford to sharpen his skills during the buildup to the much-hyped Gervonta Davis fight. The match, unfortunately, never materialized.

Unlike the Tank fight, an exhibition, the Joshua bout at the Kaseya Center is for real. Leaving no stone unturned, Paul brought in top-ranked heavyweight contenders for sparring. However, reports and word-of-mouth accounts from figures like Ryan Garcia suggest the move may have backfired. So, in light of Jake Paul‘s latest bravado, it may seem incredulous to think the former Disney star would avoid squaring up against anyone in particular. But there is one name, Paul, who reportedly wouldn’t even dream of testing his skills against.

The Mexican Monster: The name Jake Paul won’t say yes to

“I will not fight this f**king guy. He’s a f**king monster,” he loudly declared around the time Canelo declined a fight with him. It was a fate David Benavidez had long endured. Now sharing a common enemy, Paul invited the light heavyweight champion onto his podcast, BS w/ Jake Paul. The conversation took an interesting turn when one of the cohosts asked whether he would consider fighting Benavidez.

His response was a vehement no. And it seems his views on the two-division champion haven’t changed much. Speaking with ESPN, Jake Paul said, “There’s a very short list of people that I wouldn’t step into the ring with, and Benavidez is on that list.”

He elaborated on how the Arizona-born fighter poses a formidable threat both physically and technically. The very thought of facing such a heavy hitter likely prompted Paul’s decision to train with heavyweight contenders. “I had to get used to being punched by heavyweights while also adding muscle,” he insisted.

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But in doing so, he also learned an important lesson. He has the chin and the heart to endure punishment in the ring.

The sparring sessions Jake Paul may want to forget

Still, despite Paul’s upbeat attitude toward his training camp, some remain unconvinced. Ryan Garcia hinted that the reality is far different. Speaking with online streamer and rapper DDG, Garcia shared an exclusive bit of information.

According to what he heard, Paul struggled in sparring sessions with heavyweights such as Frank Sanchez, Jared Anderson, and Lawrence Okolie. Convinced Paul won’t get past Joshua, a true heavyweight mammoth, Garcia repeated the grapevine chatter. “And I heard word that he’s getting beat up in sparring by these heavyweights,” he said before adding, “I think he made a misstep here for sure.”

Paul’s recent appearance on The Pat McAfee Show, where he sported what looked like a crooked nose, might lend some weight to Garcia’s claims.

Still, it goes without saying that Jake Paul has come a long way from the early days when he faced former basketball players or retired MMA champions. He knows exactly what he’s stepping into. He understands the risks of fighting someone like Anthony Joshua. But he also understands where to draw the line, especially if the alternative is facing a true monster like David Benavidez.

Even as a hypothetical, how do you think a fight between Jake Paul and Benavidez would play out?