Jake Paul has revealed that two-time heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua is at the top of his boxing hit-list and believes a showdown between the pair will take place next year.
The social media star turned professional boxer kept his world title dreams alive with a routine success over former WBC middleweight king Julio Cesar Chavez Jr in California overnight.
Despite promising to end the American’s career, Chavez Jr struggled to gain any real foothold on proceedings, astonishingly landing just three punches during the opening nine minutes of action.
His refusal to engage with Paul culminated in a straightforward unanimous points success for the 28-year-old, who wasted no time in sounding out potential opponents in the immediate aftermath of his victory.
WBC cruiserweight supremo Badou Jack was one of several fighters mentioned by Paul as he reeled off his wish list on the back of a 12th professional career win, but it was Joshua’s whose name appeared to excite him the most.
“Give me any of them, they can all have it,” he told the media.
Anthony Joshua is an insane fight, but I want that challenge – I’m definitely not a heavyweight, but I’m still gonna take the challenge!
– Jake Paul (DAZN)
“You look at Deontay Wilder; he was beating these guys weighing just 215 pounds… Joshua is like 6ft 6ins or something, but anything is possible.
“We’ve been DM-ing (messaging) back and forth. He wants to make it happen. He called me up and it’s looking very likely for next year.”
Paul’s comprehensive win over Chavez Jr was clear to see in the damning post-fight punch statistics.
The 39-year-old Mexican, who has been advised to retire by his famed fighting father Julio Cesar Chavez Sr, landed less than half the number of punches of his opponent.
Incredibly, he failed to lay a single glove on the Cleveland native in the first round, and ended the showdown with just 61 shots hitting the desired target – a statistic which has irked ‘The Problem Child’s’ brother, Logan Paul.
“I feel great. I think he did so well,” the WWE star told DAZN.
“It’s really hard to fight a guy who like doesn’t want to fight and it’s annoying for the fans as well.
“We were halfway through the fight and the dude had thrown like 20 punches so it’s hard but it is what it is – I thought he boxed great.
“Jake has gone out there and comprehensively beaten a former world champion, so who knows what is next! He’s happy to get the win and excited to get the next guy.”
