Jake Paul has reportedly reached an “agreement in principle” to face Anthony Joshua in 2026, according to his business partner Nakisa Bidarian.
The YouTuber-turned-boxer, 28, has long had the former two-time heavyweight champion on his radar and initial talks were held earlier this year. But before Joshua, Paul is set to face lightweight star Gervonta Davis, 30, in an exhibition bout on November 14 in Miami.
Bidarian, who co-founded Most Valuable Promotions with Paul, confirmed that AJ remains firmly in Paul’s future plans. “Anthony Joshua is 100 per cent still a target… pending this fight and everything coming together, absolutely. We have an agreement in principle,” he told reporters, suggesting the bout would likely take place in the United States.
Joshua, 35, has not fought since his knockout loss to Daniel Dubois at Wembley in September 2024. He underwent elbow surgery over the summer and is eyeing a return in early 2025, with reports of a potential fight in Ghana before bigger challenges in 2026.
Eddie Hearn, Joshua’s promoter, acknowledged Paul’s camp approached him about the fight but stressed: “We’re not holding out for a Jake Paul fight. Our own plans are January or February 2026. If Jake loses to Davis, don’t expect him to fight Anthony Joshua.”
Paul briefly moved up to heavyweight last year in a high-profile exhibition against Mike Tyson, which drew over 100 million viewers on Netflix. He has since returned to cruiserweight, defeating Julio Cesar Chavez Jr in June.
For now, all eyes are on Paul’s clash with Davis. Should he come through unscathed, a blockbuster showdown with Joshua in 2026 may no longer seem far-fetched.
