An announcement for a shock heavyweight showdown between Anthony Joshua and Jake Paul is seemingly around the corner and Tyson Fury has had his say on the contest.
Talk of Joshua fighting Fury had once again been doing the rounds, with British fight fans hopeful that the pair could meet next summer, despite ‘The Gypsy King’ being adamant he is retired.
Yet, for now, ‘AJ’s attention appears to have turned to Paul, with The Ring’s Mike Coppinger announcing that the two are close to finalising a deal for a heavyweight clash in December.
Should the bout with Paul go ahead, Joshua will end 14 months of inactivity and plan to shake off the ring rust before a return to the elite level of the heavyweight division in 2026 and possible long-awaited grudge match with Fury.
In an interview with Ring Magazine when talks between the two stars first started, Fury shared his thoughts on the contest.
“I don’t know about [it being a] tune-up, I think Jake Paul knocks him out.”
“I think that AJ is a spent force, and I think Jake Paul is on the rise. I like his new heavyweight look, he is a bit chubby, a bit bulky, he is getting there.”
As with much of what Fury says, his prediction can perhaps be taken with a pinch of salt
Joshua-Paul is expected to take place in Miami before the end of the year, with the event to be broadcasted live on Netflix.