It might have taken a little while, but Anthony Joshua delivered on expectations by knocking out Jake Paul in the sixth round of their high-profile Netflix bout. Despite the animosity during the build-up, Joshua remained respectful of his fallen foe after the fight and offered advice on where his career should go next.
The overmatched Paul noted after the fight that he wants to fight someone his own size, but Joshua has other plans. The former two-time heavyweight champion suggested that Paul should rebook his canceled fight with Gervonta Davis, or potentially face another lighter fighter, Ryan Garcia.
“Jake has spirit,” Joshua said in the post-fight press conference, via Sky Sports Boxing. “He tried his best and I tip my hat off to him because No. 1, a lot of fighters haven't got in the ring with me, and Jake did. Secondly, even when he got knocked down, he kept on trying to get up. So America, I think you have someone, if he still has the heart for it, come back again, dust the dirt off his shoulder and maybe sell out this center in 2026. Maybe against Gervonta Davis or Ryan Garcia.”
Paul was supposed to fight Davis on Nov. 14 in a 195-pound exhibition bout. The fight was canceled due to Davis' legal issues, and Joshua stepped in on semi-short notice to replace him.
Garcia was considered as a potential opponent to replace Davis before Joshua accepted the fight. ‘King Ry' reportedly expressed interest in the matchup, but he opted to instead accept a title fight against WBC welterweight champion Mario Barrios, which is scheduled for February 2026.
Any fight between Paul and either Davis or Garcia would be an exhibition due to the vast size difference between ‘El Gallo' and the two smaller boxers. Paul moved up a weight class to face Joshua, but he competes five divisions above Garcia and six divisions heavier than Davis.
