Jake Paul reveals 'insane' Anthony Joshua fight is 'very likely for next year' after easing to win over Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. - 'He called me up'
Updated 29/06/2025 at 11:39 GMT+1
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Jake Paul eased to a victory over a former world champion in his latest fight, taking down Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. He now wants to jump from cruiserweight to heavyweight to face the biggest challenge of his career, via a meeting with former two-time world champion Anthony Joshua. The American claims a showdown with the British icon is "very likely for next year".
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Jake Paul and Anthony Joshua have spoken about a potential megafight, the 'Problem Child' revealed after his latest victory.
Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. was beaten comfortably by unanimous decision on Saturday night, as Paul took his pro record in boxing to 12-1.
Chavez - son of one of the greatest boxers of all time, and a former middleweight champion himself - was outclassed throughout and struggled to throw a punch in the first half of the 10-round contest.
Paul ultimately emerged with scorecards of 99-91, 97-93 and 98-92 in his favour, taking his win streak to six following a 2023 loss to Tommy Fury.
The American star said in the ring afterwards, responding to jeers from the crowd: "I live for this s*** from your motherf******. That was easy work - I only got hit 10 times. I'm him.
"I beat your boy. Nah, he is a warrior, but so am I. I think I did great against a former world champion who has never been stopped and I dominated him.
"Yeah, 100% I’m staying active. I’m fighting everybody. I’ll fight anyone, any time, anywhere, any place."
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Highlights: Dubois batters Joshua in heavyweight classic at Wembley
Video credit: TNT Sports
Paul appears to be sticking by his word of "anyone" by eyeing a jump up to the heavyweight division to take on Joshua.
The former two-time heavyweight champion is currently biding his time after a demoralising knockout loss to Daniel Dubois at Wembley Stadium last September.
That ended a win streak of four in which he showed flashes of the old, destructive 'AJ' with early stoppages against Otto Wallin and Francis Ngannou, under new trainer Ben Davison.
The two fights fans have demanded throughout Joshua's career both appear to be off the table for now.
Tyson Fury is once again retired, while Deontay Wilder is making tentative steps back into the game after just one fight in each of the last six years - four of which were defeats.
Still one of the most marketable athletes in the country, the 2012 Olympic gold medallist has now seemingly set his sights on Paul.
In his post-fight press conference after beating Chavez, Paul said: "I'm definitely not a heavyweight, but I'm still going to take the challenge.
"You look at Deontay Wilder... he was beating these guys weighing 215lbs. Granted, he's like 6ft 6in, but anything is possible. So I like the challenge.
"That's the criticism: 'fight someone in their prime who's a beast'. I think people just want to see me lose. That's really what the message is behind it all.
"Anthony Joshua is an insane fight, but I want that challenge. We've been DMing back-and-forth - he wants to make it happen. He called me up, and it is looking very likely for next year."
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