It seems there is an ever more creepier and disturbing chance that, yes, we could actually see a fight take place between Anthony Joshua and Jake Paul. As unbelievable and as gross a mismatch as this fight would absolutely prove to be, Paul has repeatedly called for it, while he has said more than once that AJ has called him up to discuss the fight. Paul says the fight is “very likely for next year.”

Paul, if nothing else aside from being on the receiving end of a potentially life-threatening beating, would get the respect he craves from the boxing world if he did actually step in the ring with Joshua in a sanctioned bout. But as fans have already made clear, Joshua would be well and truly slated if he took this fight, instead of numerous other, genuine and meaningful fights the former two-time heavyweight champion could take.

A catastrophic mismatch—but fans would tune in

The last possible voice of sanity remains with Eddie Hearn, who should, in the opinion of those who are extremely critical of a Joshua-Paul fight even being spoken about with an apparently straight face, pour some serious cold water on any and all interest on his part when it comes to wanting any part of this fight. But instead, Hearn has said that people would tune in to watch the “catastrophic mismatch,” and it sounds as though Hearn WOULD promote it.

“He’s calling out Anthony Joshua, who is a heavyweight monster,” Hearn said to Talk Sport. “I think Jake Paul is crazy enough to fight Anthony Joshua because the money would be absolutely obscene. It’s a catastrophic mismatch that people would tune in to watch, because it would be the end of Jake Paul. It’s that dangerous.”

That dangerous it would indeed be, and that’s why Hearn, and AJ, should have made it clear by now that they are both thoroughly washing their hands of this fight. Instead, it seems as though the fighter and the promoter are not doing that.

Shame on all concerned if this ludicrously dangerous mismatch is ever made.