While many have mixed opinions on Jake Paul and his boxing career, British boxing icon Anthony Joshua has said that the former Disney Channel star is “great” for the sport and its popularity.
Paul constantly finds himself in the boxing headlines.
Whether it be for stealing Floyd Mayweather’s hat, or for calling himself this generation’s Muhammad Ali, the controversial YouTuber turned fighter always finds a way to be newsworthy.
The 24-year-old from Cleveland, Ohio is now 4-0 in his professional career after taking down fellow YouTuber AnEsonGib, former NBA player Nate Robinson, former Bellator champion Ben Askren and most recently, former UFC champion Tyron Woodley.
Paul is now aiming for bigger and better, with rumours suggesting he could be in line to fight Tommy Fury next.
Despite much backlash online towards Paul in boxing, AJ has came to his defence in an interview with IFLTV:
“[He’s] great for boxing. He’s trying, zero amateur experience, throwing himself in the deep end.
“He’ll probably learn a lot more than a lot of fighters, throwing himself in the deep end, putting himself under pressure. Good luck to him.”
With Paul gearing up for a possible date with Tyson Fury’s half-brother, the American has also been rumoured to fight ex-UFC star Vitor Belfort in a $30 million Thanksgiving winner-takes-all bout.
As for AJ, he returns to the ring in under two weeks, where he’ll go up against Ukraine’s Oleksandr Usyk at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on September 25.
Joshua was supposed to fight Tyson Fury on August 14, but a judge in a US court ruled that Deontay Wilder was entitled to a third fight with Fury, which delayed the highly anticipated Battle of Britain.
Fury vs Wilder has since been further delayed due to Covid complications within the Gypsy King's camps.
What it means is that it could be a good long while before we ever see two of Britain's greatest boxing talent stepping into the same ring together.