Eddie Hearn Warns: Anthony Joshua vs. Jake Paul ‘Would Lead to the End of Jake Paul’

The world of crossover boxing may be approaching one of its most talked-about – and most dangerous – matchups yet. After Jake Paul defeated Julio Cesar Chavez Jr., he once again voiced interest in a mega-fight against former unified heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua. While the idea may sound outrageous to boxing purists, the intrigue of two global superstars clashing in the ring has caught fire – including with Matchroom Boxing promoter Eddie Hearn.

But Hearn isn’t exactly thrilled about the matchup – especially from a safety perspective.

“It’s a catastrophic mismatch that people would tune in to watch because it would lead to the end of Jake Paul. Hopefully, not literally, but it’s that dangerous.”

In an interview with talkSPORT, Hearn acknowledged the immense commercial appeal such a fight would bring. He admitted Paul’s fearlessness and promotional savvy make the idea plausible from a financial standpoint. However, he was brutally honest about the competitive imbalance. While Paul has had success against aging MMA fighters and former champions in decline, taking on someone of Joshua’s caliber would be a completely different reality.

Jake Paul has built a record of 12-1 since turning professional in 2020, turning his notoriety into an unorthodox but undeniably successful boxing venture. His resume includes wins over names like Nate Diaz, Tyron Woodley, Anderson Silva, Ben Askren, and most recently Mike Tyson, whom Paul defeated by unanimous decision in a widely panned but record-breaking event on Netflix.

While most of Paul’s opponents have been past their prime or from other combat sports, his training commitment and steady in-ring improvement have earned him a level of respect—even from skeptics like Hearn.

“I will say about Jake Paul, I do think you start having to give him a margin of respect,” Hearn said. “This guy is going through the motions, he’s putting the hard spars in… They’re very clever in terms of the opponents they pick.”

Still, Anthony Joshua is a whole different beast. The British Olympic gold medalist and former two-time heavyweight world champion has faced the elite of boxing, including Wladimir Klitschko, Andy Ruiz Jr., Oleksandr Usyk, and most recently Daniel Dubois, who handed Joshua a knockout loss in September 2024. That defeat snapped a four-fight winning streak for Joshua, though he bounced back impressively with a stunning knockout of Francis Ngannou in March 2025.

Whether Joshua is interested in a title run or more novelty matchups remains unclear. Hearn hinted that Joshua is likely uninterested in Paul as a “dream opponent” but would entertain the idea for the right price.

“He’s not exactly looking at Jake Paul going, ‘That’s my dream opponent,’” Hearn said. “Would he go in there and give him a hiding for a massive chunk of money? Probably. I’ll be saying, ‘Yeah, go on. I’d like to see it.’”

Adding fuel to the fire, the WBA recently ranked Jake Paul No. 14 in its cruiserweight division, raising eyebrows across the boxing world. Hearn didn’t hide his skepticism.

“I think Jake Paul is in the top 100 in the world in the cruiserweight division and by the way, I don’t think that’s an awful achievement given the fact this guy found boxing in his mid-20s and I think he’s doing well,” Hearn said. “Is he world class? Absolutely not. But he is improving… so in a way, good luck. Can’t believe I’ve said it, but in a way, good luck.”

The buzz around Joshua vs. Paul continues to build, but questions remain: Is it just hype, or a dangerous reality looming on the horizon? Either way, the boxing world is watching closely.