American boxer Jake Paul has declared he will face Tyson Fury in 2025 should he emerge victorious against Anthony Joshua in their upcoming Miami clash on 19 December.
The YouTuber-turned-pugilist made this bold proclamation during a press conference at the Kaseya Center.
The heavyweight contest between Paul and the former two-time unified champion represents a significant step up in competition for the 28-year-old American.
Boxing promoters and Saudi officials have already begun discussing a potential Joshua-Fury superfight for next year, presuming the British boxer prevails.
Jake Paul has big plans for his future in boxing
|NETFLIX
Paul, however, expressed supreme confidence in his chances. "It's going to be me v Tyson Fury next year," he stated, dismissing suggestions he might be overlooked in heavyweight boxing's future plans.
The Joshua bout materialised after Paul's scheduled November clash with lightweight champion Gervonta Davis fell through.
Davis faced accusations of battery and other serious charges from a former partner, forcing the cancellation.
Paul's team scrambled to secure a replacement opponent. Several high-profile names emerged as possibilities, including Ryan Garcia, Terence Crawford and Francis Ngannou.
The American revealed that Crawford had actually agreed to face him but scheduling conflicts prevented a December arrangement.
Jake Paul and Anthony Joshua will fight in Miami on December 19
|NETFLIX
"Terence Crawford wanted to do it later in the year," Paul explained during the press conference.
He also claimed other potential opponents had declined the opportunity. "Tommy Fury was scared, Ryan Garcia was scared," he stated, before ultimately securing the blockbuster match-up with Joshua.
Paul displayed characteristic bravado at the Miami press conference, warning against underestimating his capabilities.
"It's a massive mistake to look past this fight. I'm knocking this guy out and becoming the CEO of Matchroom boxing," he declared.
The American drew parallels to Joshua's shocking 2019 defeat to Andy Ruiz Jr at Madison Square Garden.
"Look what happened when they last came to American. This is Andy Ruiz 2.0," Paul proclaimed.
His most recent ring appearance saw him secure a unanimous decision victory against Julio Cesar Chavez Jr in June. Joshua, meanwhile, hasn't competed since suffering a knockout defeat to Daniel Dubois in September 2024.
Tyson Fury retired from boxing back in January | REUTERSThe contest will follow professional boxing regulations despite speculation about exhibition status.
The bout is scheduled for eight rounds of three minutes each, with both fighters wearing 10-ounce gloves.
Weight stipulations favour the smaller Paul, who typically competes below the 200-pound cruiserweight threshold. He weighed 227.25 pounds for his exhibition against Mike Tyson last year.
Joshua faces a significant restriction, prohibited from exceeding 245 pounds despite regularly weighing above 250 throughout his career.
The six-foot-six Briton tipped the scales at 240 and 244 pounds respectively in his two encounters with Oleksandr Usyk.
Paul stands five inches shorter at six feet one inch, potentially benefiting from the weight limitations imposed on his more experienced opponent.