The inevitable happened. Drawing the curtains on one of the year’s most talked-about contests, the Jake Paul-Anthony Joshua bout ended with an emphatic, if predictable, win. For weeks, debates raged across social media: how badly would the fight turn out for Jake, and what would happen if Joshua lost? Now that the crossroads moment for both the American and the Briton has passed, hushed whispers are beginning to emerge – what’s next?

For Anthony Joshua, the sixth-round KO came at the perfect time. His loss to Daniel Dubois and subsequent elbow surgery had nearly put his career on the back burner. With multiple reports suggesting a long-awaited clash against archrival Tyson Fury could take shape sometime in 2026, many expected Joshua to mount a comeback in emphatic fashion. The Jake Paul fight provided that opportunity, and he seized it with elan.

The road ahead for Anthony Joshua

At 36, with slim chances of earning another title shot, Joshua now appears to be looking toward one final lucrative payday and a swan song that cements his legacy.  Currently ranked third and 10th in the WBC and WBO top-15 rankings, respectively, Anthony Joshua remains some distance away from fulfilling his dream of becoming a three-time world champion.

The simple reason is that times have changed since his time away from the sport. As the unified champion, Oleksandr Usyk still rules the roost, but a string of new title contenders have emerged in the meantime. Fabio Wardley holds the WBO title, while Agit Kabayel and Murat Gassiev possess interim championships.

In this landscape, it would be a tough call for Joshua to fight through one grueling matchup after another against strong contenders in hopes of inching closer to a potential trilogy with Usyk.  From a practical standpoint, a matchup with Tyson Fury appears to be the most sensible option.

With Riyadh Season reportedly backing it, the fight enjoys considerable support – both from an organizational perspective and among fans.

A few more make-or-break decisions for AJ

There could be a shortcut, though.  Another possibility is a rematch with Daniel Dubois. Currently the number-one-ranked contender, Dubois – now a former champion – met a similar fate, having been defeated by Usyk. He has been seeking a matchup that could propel him back into the title race.

As such, a rematch between Dubois and AJ could pave the way for the latter to move up the ladder and, more importantly, set the record straight after the embarrassing loss he suffered.

Perhaps now that one major hurdle to a Tyson Fury fight has been removed, AJ could be expected to step into a low-risk tune-up bout before eventually facing his English rival. The two have been shadowboxing for years. At one point, the fight came close to fruition, only to collapse as other commitments, such as Fury’s bouts with Deontay Wilder, took precedence.

Those who expected the Jake Paul-Anthony Joshua fight to end within the first two rounds may have been sorely disappointed. Still, as the saying goes, all’s well that ends well. If not in the opening rounds, AJ cleared the biggest hurdle to his comeback in the sixth. While doubts over his form may continue to linger, there is no question about his readiness to extend his career for another stretch.

Who would you like to see AJ fight next?