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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)

Jake Paul and Anthony Joshua

“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.”

Jake Paul says he’s finally going to fight the kind of opponent his critics want to see him face. Next year.

On Saturday, Paul added another win to his boxing résumé, taking a unanimous decision over former WBC middleweight champion Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. in their cruiserweight fight in Anaheim, Calif. It was another underwhelming performance from Paul, who was visibly larger than the 39-year-old Chavez, and only continued the criticism Paul has faced for hand-picking undersized and past-their-prime opponents. But for Paul, this win was a pivotal moment in his career: a turning point for him towards a more serious boxing run.

“I don’t even think I was a fighter then,” Paul said in his post-fight press conference when asked about his loss to Tommy Fury in comparison to his performance on Saturday. “That was two years, two-and-a-half years into the sport, and I didn’t know what I was doing. I didn’t have the right team around me, the proper team around me, the proper conditioning. My lifestyle outside of the ring was still like a YouTube, celebrity, actor, whatever I was at the time. I wasn’t fully focused on boxing.

Jake Paul says former champion Anthony Joshua wants to fight him next year

Not long after the sweat had dried following Jake Paul’s victory over Julio Cesar Chavez Jr., he disclosed he’s in talks to fight another former champion: Anthony Joshua, who held the unified heavyweight belts in 2016 and 2021.

“Anthony Joshua is an insane fight, but I want that challenge,” Paul said at a post-fight news conference Saturday, June 28. “We’ve been DM’ing back and forth. He wants to make it happen. He called me up and it’s looking very likely for next year.”

In his last fight, Joshua (28-4, 25 KOs) suffered a devastating fifth-round knockout loss to Daniel Dubois. But at 6-6, he would have a five-inch height advantage over Paul (12-1, 7 KOs) along with significantly more experience.

“I like the challenge,” Paul said. “That’s the criticism, people will say, ‘Fight someone in their prime who’s a beast.’ I think people just really want to see me lose. That’s really what the message is behind it all.”

Jake Paul lists other options for next fight

Even though Paul’s negotiations with Canelo Alvarez unraveled in February, he said a fight between the two still could materialize.

“No, he’s not out of the picture,” said Paul, who added that it could hinge on Paul winning a cruiserweight world title. That would lure Alvarez into the ring because it would give him a chance to become a five-weight champion, Paul speculated.

“I think that would be what interests him, and that’s the plan,” Paul said.

Other potential future opponents, Paul said, include WBC cruiserweight champion Badou Jack, WBA lightweight champion Gervonta Davis and Tommy Fury, the only boxer to beat Paul. Fury won that eight-round fight by unanimous decision in 2023.

“I don’t even think I was a fighter then,” Paul said. “That was like 2 1/2 years into the sport, and I didn’t know what I was doing. I didn’t have the proper team around me. I didn’t have conditioning. My lifestyle outside of the ring was still that of a YouTuber, celebrity, actor, whatever I was at that point in time.

“So I wasn’t fully focused on boxing. Like I said, chapter one is done tonight, and now we’re moving into chapter two. I’m just getting warmed up in the sport. People hold the Tommy Fury thing against me, but what now? I just beat a former world champion, and I’m coming to avenge that loss as well with Tommy.”

YouTuber turned boxer Jake Paul has improved his professional fight record to 12-1 and turned his attentions back to British heavyweight Anthony Joshua.

Paul defeated former WBC middleweight champion Julio Cesar Chavez Jr by unanimous decision in Southern California on Saturday.

The 28-year-old’s only loss in the ring was seven fights and more than two years ago against Tommy Fury in Saudi Arabia.

Despite a fiercely partisan crowd in favour of his opponent, Paul tore out of his corner early on and fought off a late flurry to hold on to the win.

After seeing off Chavez, Paul teased imminent confirmation of a highly anticipated transatlantic slobberknocker.

Joshua would have a height and weight advantage over a younger opponent but Paul isn’t cowed by the prospect of a pummelling.

“I’m definitely not a heavyweight, but I’m still gonna take the challenge,” he told the media.

“You look at Deontay Wilder; he was beating these guys weighing 215 pounds, [Joshua is] like 6ft 6in or something, but anything is possible.

“Anthony Joshua is an insane fight, but I want that challenge.”

Joshua, 35, has claimed 25 of his 28 professional wins by knockout and has been beaten four times.

One of those losses was a fifth-round knockout by Daniel Dubois in his last fight in September 2024. Dubois walked away as the IBF heavyweight champion having successfully defended the belt he was given after it was vacated by Oleksandr Usyk.

Chavez suggested after Saturday’s fight that Paul started strong but tired, saying that the Cleveland-born boxer isn’t ready to step up to the next level against champions like Joshua.

Nevertheless, the wheels are turning and Paul vs Joshua appears to be in the works for 2026.

“We’ve been DM-ing back and forth. He wants to make it happen. He called me up and it’s looking very likely for next year,” Paul revealed in Anaheim on Saturday.

Since turning pro in 2020, Paul has won seven fights by knockout.

Last November, he won by decision against 58-year-old Mike Tyson in a massively hyped fight in Arlington, Texas.

Joshua’s last win came in March 2024 against Francis Ngannou, who he beat by knockout in the second round in Riyadh.

Gervonta Davis Called Out By Hall Of Fame Legend Who Hasn’t Fought In Years: “It’s A Dream Fight”

Gervonta Davis has been targeted for a cross-generational super-fight.

The big puncher from Baltimore commands some of the biggest audiences in the sport, with his 2023 fight against Ryan Garcia garnering more than 1.2 million pay-per-view buys for Showtime and generating a $22.8 million gate at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.

It’s proven, then, that with the right dance partner, ‘Tank’ Davis can do incredible numbers. There are not many bigger than Filipino fighting legend, Manny Pacquiao, who makes a controversial ring return in July.

The 46-year-old’s promoter, Sean Gibbons, told World Boxing News that Davis was on the hit list for the fight.

“It took a roundabout way, but we got here .We would have liked Conor Benn and would have liked Gervonta Davis, but Manny Pacquiao had one thing in mind.”

That thing is breaking his own record as the oldest welterweight world champion in history, which he has the chance to do against WBC Champion Mario Barrios.

Gibbons said that they will then target Pacquiao’s ‘dream fight’ with ‘Tank.’

“When he beats Mario Barrios, line them up. His dream fight is Gervonta Davis. He loves that fight. He tried to get that fight for a couple of years. Gervonta kept talking about how he didn’t want to fight him at 145. Then he goes and gets smoked by Lamont Roach. So Manny Pacquiao can get this belt, and it’s going to be a wonderful ride out.”

Meanwhile, Davis is set to announce a rematch with Lamont Roach Jr after a controversial draw last time out. He has also been in talks for a sideshow exhibition bout against Jake Paul, leading many to think that any goal of cementing himself as one of the best pound-for-pound fighters in the world may be overtaken by a desire to make as much money as possible.

Maryland Court Rules On Gervonta Davis’ Monetary Dispute With Former Manager

A court has sided with Gervonta Davis in his monetary dispute with former manager.

WBA lightweight champion Gervonta Davis was recently involved in a legal battle with former manager Wayne Roy and creditor Kevin Batiste.

Back in October 2013, Davis signed a five-year agreement with Roy, agreeing that the manager would receive 15% of all fight-related earnings. However, by February 2014, Davis and the pair would agree to end thier working relationship.

A release agreement was reached where Davis had to pay Roy and Batiste $35,000 over the next two years. However, in 2017, they filed a case against ‘Tank’, claiming they were paid only $2,000. When Davis failed to show up to court, the Judge entered a default order against him finding him in breach of contract.

Davis eventually would pay Roy and Batiste $468,000 to settle the case. However, Roy and Batiste never recorded the judgement satisfied and didn’t inform the court of any agreement. Instead, they continued discovery in the case and eventually requested additional payments from Davis for his subsequent fights.

The court has now ruled on the case, finding Gervonta Davis free of any obligation to make additional payments. The court’s chief judge Gregory Wells wrote:

Once Davis paid the $468,000, the judgment was satisfied, and there was no longer a money judgment to modify. If there is no money judgment to modify, Creditors cannot continue to pursue post-judgment discovery against Davis for a ‘hypothetical or potential money judgment.’

Gervonta Davis last fought in March and had a controversial majority draw against Lamont Roach. ‘Tank’ and Roach will now face off again in a rematch according to widespread reports. Any official announcement on the matter is yet to come.

Five fights for Deontay Wilder as the ‘Bronze Bomber’ picks up first win since 2022

Deontay Wilder returned to boxing in familiar fashion when he was able to earn a TKO win over Tyrrell Herndon on Friday night.

The ‘Bronze Bomber’ stopped his 24-5 opponent in the seventh round of their fight, after scoring a knockdown in the second round.

The win was the heavyweight’s first since 2022, when Wilder beat Robert Helenius.

Wilder now has a professional record of 44-4-1 after the win, with plenty of options for future opponents. With this in mind, here is our list of some potential fights for the former heavyweight champion.

Anthony Joshua

A fight between Wilder and Anthony Joshua is one that fans have been asking for over the last number of years. Although the opportunity has passed for the two heavyweights to compete in their prime, the interest is still there.

Both men are at an interesting point in their career, as Wilder is 2-3 in his last five, and Joshua is coming off a knockout loss to Daniel Dubois.

Joshua is expected to fight again this year, however, it is unclear if that fight will be against Wilder. However, even if ‘AJ’ faces an alternative opponent, the pair could meet in a huge 2026 headliner.

Derek Chisora

Another notable British heavyweight that Wilder could take on is Derek Chisora.

Chisora, who is one of Oleksandr Usyk’s toughest fights, would be a durable test for Wilder, even in the twilight of his career. By facing ‘Del Boy’, fans could really see how much Wilder has left in the tank.

If Wilder was able to stop the 49-fight veteran, it would show he is still a heavyweight contender. However, a win for Chisora in what would potentially be his final fight could be a great way to bow out.

Moses Itauma

One way you could handle Wilder’s current situation is to put him in with the future knockout star of the heavyweight division, Moses Itauma.

Scheduled to take on Dillian Whyte in August, a win for Itauma would put him on the brink of a world title opportunity. If he is not given a crack at a belt following a win over Whyte, Wilder is a fantastic name he could add to his resume in a passing of the torch moment.

Wilder and Itauma have a 97% and 83% knockout rate, respectively, meaning a heavyweight showdown between the veteran and the prospect would be fireworks.

Martin Bakole

Another heavyweight who is in a less-favorable position in their career is Martin Bakole.

A short-notice appearance in Saudi Arabia in February saw Bakole get knocked out by Joseph Parker. Then, Bakole followed up the loss with a draw against Efe Ajagba.

Since his momentum was halted against Parker, fans do not perceive Bakole as the heavyweight threat as they once did. However, being the victor of a shootout with Wilder could change that opinion.

A win for Wilder over Bakole would also be an impressive feat, as the Congolese fighter is still considered a top name in the division.

Curtis Harper

When Wilder took on Herndon, he was taking a step back in competition from the likes of Parker and Zhilei Zhang. For his next fight, there’s no reason why he can’t take another fight of this standard.

Wilder was rumoured to face Curtis Harper (19-11) earlier this year, in a fight the former champion was expected to win. However, getting in the ring with Harper could give Wilder more confidence going into a potential bout with Joshua in 2026.

Even if Harper is not the opponent of choice, it is possible that Wilder goes down the route of a lesser-known name as opposed to heavyweight contender. Such a move could be a step in the right direction for the 39-year-old to further fuel his form.

Anthony Joshua has issued a stark warning to Jake Paul following their private message exchanges, telling the YouTuber-turned-boxer to be careful what he wishes for.

The former heavyweight world champion sent Paul a menacing final message after the American had taunted him about his previous knockout defeats.

Manny Pacquiao’s costly mistake accidentally handed Floyd Mayweather $4 million, years before his comeback

Manny Pacquiao’s fight with Floyd Mayweather was the highest-grossing fight in history, and it even earned Mayweather money years after the fight.

The two all-time greats faced off in one of the biggest fights ever in 2015, as Manny Pacquiao challenged Floyd Mayweather for the unified world welterweight championship.

Pacquiao vs Mayweather generated over $600 million, with “PacMan” earning more than $160 million for his share in the bout.

Mayweather himself earned even more for his share, with his last payday for his clash with Pacquiao coming years later due to talks of a rematch.

Manny Pacquiao handed Floyd Mayweather $4 million for leaking a potential rematch

Two years before his comeback fight with Mario Barrios, Pacquiao revealed that he was in talks with Mayweather for a rematch of their 2015 big-money bout.

In a 2023 interview with The Sun, a then-retired Pacquiao leaked that he was in talks with Mayweather for a massive rematch, eight years after their first and only fight.

However, he clearly made a mistake when doing so, as he broke some sort of agreement the two parties had to not discuss a potential fight before it was announced.

Mayweather revealed that this slip-up from Pacquiao earned him a $4 million payout, in conversation with The Pivot Podcast.

The undefeated former champion said: “When Manny Pacquiao spoke about that [a rematch], he shouldn’t have.

“I’m not gonna say he’s right and I’m not gonna say he’s wrong. Just by him saying my name, they gave me a cheque for $4 million.

“He said my name when he wasn’t supposed to. I said, There’s a time and a place for everything.”

The fee was said to be paid by RIZIN, the Japanese promotion that planned to host the fight in Japan if an agreement was made.

This issue has seemed to put a stop to a rematch between Mayweather and Pacquiao.

Very little has been said about the fight since Mayweather’s admission, and with Pacquiao back in professional boxing to challenge for world titles, an exhibition fight with his old foe seems out of the question for the time being.

Manny Pacquiao $4 million blunder happened two years before his comeback fight with Mario Barrios

Two years after his wayward mouth cost RIZIN $4 million, Pacquiao is coming back to the ring for his comeback fight at 46 years old.

Pacquiao chose WBC Welterweight champion Barrios as his opponent, as he hopes to become a 13-time world champion.

The win would make Pacquiao one of the oldest world champions in history and cement his legacy even further as an all-time great.

The eight-weight champion is already eyeing up a bout with Conor Benn if he beats Barrios, although Pacquiao’s lightning-fast punches that made him famous are not what they used to be.

This will undoubtedly be his toughest test yet. An exhibition fight with Mayweather would have been the easier choice, but Pacquiao still has the drive and ambition to become a champion in the twilight of his career.

Canelo Alvarez is gearing up for his monumental showdown with Terence Crawford.

It was confirmed earlier this month that the 34-year-old from Guadalajara, Mexico will lock horns with Crawford on Saturday September 13 at the Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Canelo will defend his undisputed super-middleweight championship against the 37-year-old from Omaha, who is making the jump up in two weight classes from his last outing for this mega-fight.

Despite being in preparations for what could be one of the toughest tests of his career, something he has admitted himself, Canelo is already being pencilled in for the third fight in his Riyadh Season deal.

In an interview with the Ring Magazine, the man behind the deal, Turki Alalshikh, outlined what he wants to come next for Canelo after he closes the book on his rivalry with Crawford.

“We have the second fight if everything goes right in February for Canelo … It’s May fight, it is going to be against one of the two options, [Hamzah] Sheeraz or [Chris] Eubank Jr, I am thinking like this.”

Chris Eubank Jr is coming off the most high-profile win of his career, beating familial rival Conor Benn over the distance at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. Though the pair are heading towards a rematch, he has made it clear that he wants Canelo after that.

Hamzah Sheeraz makes his super-middleweight debut next month against former Alvarez victim Edgar Berlanga, with a statement performance setting up the clash Alalshikh wants to see.