By: Sean Crose
Here we are. Somehow, it’s come to this wild possibility: Eddie Hearn, that British super promoter, is out here saying Jake Paul — yep, that social media dude — might end up in the ring with Anthony Joshua. Crazy, right? A year ago, you’d laugh this off as some kind of joke. But nope, it’s creeping toward reality. Sure, Paul’s no slouch, he can throw a punch, but imagining him against Joshua feels… out there. Kind of like trying to picture a hamster riding a lion — intriguing but, you know, unlikely.
Anyway, say what you will about Paul, but he sure drags a lot of eyes to boxing. Some folks see this as bad news, while others are like, “Hey, at least people are talking about boxing!” Still, these novelty fights… they aren’t exactly pushing the sport forward. Yet, if Paul and Joshua share a ring, it’s gonna be a huge spectacle. Maybe not as wild as when Jake faced Mike Tyson last year (still can’t wrap my head around that one), but still big. And Joshua, well, he’s not exactly over the hill yet. More like… on the hill? Metaphorically, I guess? He’ll definitely have more oomph than Tyson did against Paul. Something for Paul to chew over, for sure.
Here’s the thing, though: Joshua hasn’t had the best run lately. Took a couple of hits from Olexander Usyk and Daniel Dubois. At least he flattened Francis NGannou — the UFC guy — not too long ago. Brutal stuff. Paul should keep that in mind. I mean, nobody wants to jump in with someone who can turn lights out with a punch. But, Paul thrives on this kind of chaos. Like a kid who can’t resist sticking a fork in a toaster.
Honestly, Paul’s surprised folks. Myself included. Dude’s got skills, no doubt. Talks big, hits hard. He could go up against a titleist someday. Odds aren’t in his favor, especially if we’re talking cruiserweight titles, but he’s as good as many contenders today. Doesn’t mean he can take down someone of Joshua’s caliber, though. Seems like he’s shooting for the stars when Mars might be his limit. Divine comedy or sheer guts? Can’t say. But he deserves props for what he’s achieved — and for stirring up a storm in boxing.
Joshua, though… that’s probably a step too far.
