Boxing purists have rightly labeled the Jake Paul vs. Anthony Joshua matchup as “bizarre.” Joshua, a London 2012 Olympic gold medallist and former two-time unified heavyweight world champion, stands in stark contrast to Paul, who has no amateur record and transitioned from YouTuber to boxer, recently defeating Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. Technically, their levels, résumés, and skill sets differ greatly. But could the heavy fan favorite see an upset in the ring instead?

Early rumors suggested the fight could take place at the iconic Wembley Stadium, but according to Anthony Joshua’s promoter, Eddie Hearn, that outcome is far from certain. Speaking to Sky Sports, Hearn said, “Organizers would have to apply to the British Boxing Board of Control to consider. Fight would likely take place in the US.” The hesitation stems from Paul’s lack of experience and the risk of matching him against one of the sport’s most talented heavyweights, raising safety concerns. It appears Joshua may avoid potential embarrassment, with the bout unlikely to happen in his home country. Why, you ask?

A few hours ago, veteran trainer Teddy Atlas appeared on his YouTube channel THE FIGHT with his son, Teddy Atlas III, to discuss the upcoming Jake Paul vs. Anthony Joshua bout. When Atlas Jr. asked, “Can Jake Paul really beat Anthony Joshua?” the 69-year-old gave a detailed response, continuing his long-standing support for Paul. He argued that The Problem Child deserves credit for reaching this position, saying, “He sold himself. He sold his dream… Give him credit for that, and he made it happen, and he took risks along the way. Yeah, he picked his spots… but he has respected the sport, worked hard, and gotten himself into this position.”

Atlas acknowledged that this fight might be “a step too far” for the 12-1 boxer, given the difference in skill, experience, and amateur background. However, he pointed out that Joshua is coming off a knockout loss against Daniel Dubois last year, and hasn’t fought in a year, which could leave him vulnerable at his career’s lowest. Moreover, using a vivid analogy, Atlas said Joshua might have “ghosts in his attic” and suggested that fighting the $100 million-richer Jake Paul could be “the exorcism you need to clear out the attic.” And this uncertainty, Atlas noted, makes the matchup both “intriguing and frustrating.”

He also emphasized the entertainment aspect of the sport, reminding fans, “Let’s not forget… it’s an entertainment business.” Atlas believes Jake Paul has a knack for choosing the right moments to take big steps, apart from his only loss to Tommy Fury back in 2023. So this ability, he said, is part of why people are talking about the fight, even if many hardcore fans feel Paul doesn’t deserve such an opportunity.

In the end, while Atlas admitted AJ remains the far more skilled and accomplished fighter, “a gold medallist… a former world champion… a good puncher,” he questioned what version of Joshua will show up on fight night. Drawing a comparison to Joshua’s 2nd round KO victory against Francis Ngannou, he noted that Ngannou wasn’t a conventional boxer either, yet the matchup still drew interest. Ultimately, Atlas summed it up by saying, “It could be a step too far… but I am willing to take that step to find out.” So while Teddy Atlas believes Jake Paul can beat the former two-time unified world heavyweight champion, The Problem Child himself  also feels he would have an even greater advantage if he faced a four-division world champion.

Jake Paul tipped to beat Adrien Broner

Adrien Broner took to Instagram a few days ago to fire a direct challenge at Jake Paul. “All that playing y’all doing on the internet with this me and Jake Paul s—, bro,” Broner said in the clip. “Jake Paul, I’ll knock your b—- a– out… I’ll knock you the f— out, bro.” While ‘El Gallo,’ fresh off back-to-back unanimous decision wins over Mike Tyson and Julio Cesar Chavez Jr., has yet to respond, former UFC fighter turned comedian and podcaster Brendan Schaub quickly weighed in, predicting Paul would beat Broner.

Speaking on his podcast The Fighter and The Kid, Schaub said, “He’s definitely undersized, but definitely a better boxer, but he’s also a little crazy.” When co-host Bryan Callen reminded him that Broner used to fight at 135 lbs, Schaub stressed, “Way, way smaller.” Broner, who once competed at lightweight before moving to welterweight, is still relatively small compared to Paul, whose last bout was at cruiserweight.

Still, Schaub issued a warning for Jake Paul if he were ever to face Gervonta Davis. “I would assume a hard left to the liver would be trouble for Jake,” he said. As for Broner, Schaub believes the Ohio native could win at this stage of the former champion’s career. “Even though world-class back in the day, with his size, I feel like Jake could maybe beat Adrien Broner at this stage,” Schaub noted. That said, do you agree with Brendan Schaub and Teddy Atlas and believe that Jake Paul could actually win against Anthony Joshua?