While the debate over his performance and a fight that reportedly secured nearly 33 million viewers continues to rage, a few believe it’s high time Jake Paul stepped up his game with a small tune-up. To UFC commentator Joe Rogan, the path forward hinges on one critical and perhaps overlooked flaw.

“I won two rounds, then he won two, then I got dropped,” Jake Paul loudly proclaimed in the latest episode of Impaulsive. Fans may agree, but experts like Rogan paint a different picture. Paul’s gas tank emptied as the fight progressed. Now holding a 12–2 record, Paul kept himself out of AJ’s range by moving across the ring. The tactic worked initially but proved ineffective as Joshua began gaining ground from the fourth round onward. This begs the question: what should Paul do different against elite level competition like AJ?

Late-round fatigue continues to haunt Jake Paul

Joe Rogan was discussing the Jake Paul-AJ fight with Tom Segura when he reflected, “You can’t afford to get tired.” Jake often fades once fights drag the distance, and that is one issue Rogan, and perhaps many others, would want him to address as soon as possible.

“Because if you did, if he had a much bigger gas tank, like if he was training with, uh, like some of these elite world-class strength and conditioning coaches and just worked on his cardio, he’d be beating way more guys,” Rogan told the comedian. Paul has been keenly focused on improving his boxing skills, Rogan added. However, the road to fighting at a world-class level demands a massive gas tank.

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Enlisting the help of experts like Sam Calavitta or Nick Kershaw would go a long way toward keeping his engine running until the final bell. “You need, like, these plyometrics experts that have got heart rate monitors on you, and they’re checking when your recovery is ready and go,” Joe Rogan said.

Recalling the Nate Diaz fight that lasted ten rounds, the MMA commentator noted that in a three-round bout, Jake Paul remains more than a handful. But things change once he enters the latter half of a fight.

Is cardio the convenient explanation for Jake Paul’s fade?

While fans side with Jake, experts are far more likely to disagree with his assessment. That the fight lasted six rounds could be attributed to an altogether different factor, they believe. Anthony Joshua suffered a career-threatening loss last September.

Later, as the new year progressed, he underwent treatment for an elbow injury.

He remained out of the ring for 15 months. Circumstances like these often breed ring rust. The former heavyweight champion had to shake off months of inactivity to face a much younger and more active opponent. In the end, however, he delivered what many expected.

Indeed, if Jake Paul plans a run at the cruiserweight title, as he has stated in post-fight interviews, then he would be wise to heed voices like Joe Rogan’s and prioritize his cardio. With Jai Opetaia, Gilberto Ramirez, and Noel Mikaelyan ruling the roost, the 200-pound division boasts a roster of heavy-set contenders eager to exploit a weak gas tank.

Expert guidance could elevate Paul’s stock considerably. But whether improved cardio alone is enough to push him toward world-class contention remains an open question, one that divides fans and experts alike.