Finally a winner! Or is it still too early to say? A few weeks ago a race kicked off. Some familiar names stood at the starting line – Anthony Joshua, Francis Ngannou, Nate Diaz, Andre Ward, Ryan Garcia, and Gabriel Rosado. All eager to win the trophy – the fight against Jake Paul. And calling on his inner Usain Bolt, Joshua appears to have touched the finish line first. The stakes are only getting higher. Multiple sources suggest a December face-off between Paul and Joshua. The development stemmed from the setback reportedly offset by Gervonta Davis’s domestic violence charges.

What intrigued a few, however, was the nature of the fight. Will it be yet another exhibition? The November 15 matchup against Gervonta Davis was one after all. However, a few reports now suggest it may not be the case. Jake Paul vs. Anthony Joshua could be a full-fledged professional heavyweight bout.

No friendly, a real fight between Jake Paul and Anthony Joshua

Details largely came from Mike Coppinger. Ring Magazine’s eminent boxing insider had posted the news about Paul and AJ reportedly closing on a deal for a December fight earlier. So Coppinger’s latest update revealed a few more details. They included the nature of the fight and the tentative timeline.

Based on the information received from the sources, Mike Coppinger wrote, “The heavyweight fight – not exhibition – is slated to take place Friday, Dec. 19.” When one of the users raised doubts on the matchup potentially falling apart, Coppinger replied, “It’s a done deal.” The bout against Tank Davis was a ten-round exhibition that included knockouts. Though one might as well wonder how that was supposed to happen between a lightweight champion and a cruiserweight contender.

But with no strings attached, Jake Paul and Anthony Joshua‘s potential match now adds another layer of intrigue. Detractors will be happy if AJ wins. It gives them an opportunity to question Paul’s boxing credibility. On the other hand, if the Cleveland native wins, then his stocks will shoot through the roof.

Months ago, Jake Paul had called out the former heavyweight champion.

Anthony Joshua – Defeat Jake Paul, chase glory?

But unlike his previous comments, where he spoke about a potential fight taking place in 2026, it’s happening much earlier. “Yeah, we talked on the phone for like 10 minutes. Wow, um, and we’re both down, and I said 2026. He (Joshua) was like, “All right, let’s get it.” And we’re going to make it happen. Um, so yeah, I think that’s going to be a mega fight next year and something fun to test my skills at heavyweight,” Paul told Ariel Helwani.

Later, while speaking on his podcast, the YouTuber-turned-boxer didn’t hesitate to take potshots at Joshua’s skills and chin.

His comments largely stemmed from the rough phase AJ has been going through. After the two consecutive losses to Oleksandr Usyk, piece by piece, the former unified champion managed to put his career back on track. A four-win streak included a second-round knockout win over Francis Ngannou.

But the humbling loss to Daniel Dubois derailed his plans. Elbow injury and the subsequent surgery added to his woes.

As a 36-year-old former champion, AJ could be on the last stretch of his otherwise brilliant career. So he may want to cap it off with a few big blockbusters that not only cement his legacy but also pay rich dividends.

Once he defeats Jake Paul, he might be in a position to call out another big name.

However, till anything is confirmed, fans shouldn’t pin too many hopes. With Eddie Hearn reportedly casting doubts if Jake Paul will be ‘crazy’ enough to take the fight, they should watch out as further developments emerge.

For Jake Paul, do you think a fight against Anthony Joshua is the step in the right direction?