Former heavyweight champion Tyson Fury has made an extraordinary wager declaration, stating he would stake £1million on Jake Paul defeating Anthony Joshua in their proposed 2026 bout.
The Gypsy King declared: "If they fight, I'm putting £1million on Jake Paul."
Fury's confidence in the YouTuber-turned-boxer appears unwavering.
The former world champion offered a damning evaluation of Joshua's current form, suggesting the former unified champion has declined significantly.
PA | Tyson Fury backed Jake Paul to knock Anthony Joshua out"I just think Jake Paul would knock AJ out. I think AJ is a spent force, and Jake Paul is on the rise," Fury told Ring Magazine.
The Gypsy King praised Paul's physical transformation for heavyweight competition.
"I like his new heavyweight look - bit chubby, bit bulky. [He's] getting there," he remarked.
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|A fight between Anthony Joshua and Jake Paul is creeping closer to an agreement
When asked whether facing Paul might serve as preparation for Joshua ahead of a potential British superfight, Fury dismissed the notion entirely, saying: "I don't know about tune-ups, I think Jake Paul knocks him out."
Saudi boxing promoter Turki Alalshikh has given his backing to negotiations between the two camps.
Speaking to talkSPORT, Alalshikh responded "Why not? It is a win-win deal" when questioned about the bout's feasibility.
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The influential Saudi figure revealed discussions were already underway: "Me and [Jake Paul] are thinking [about] doing him against Anthony Joshua now."
Paul himself displayed supreme confidence about the prospective clash.
"It's gonna happen, it's gonna happen," he told Davies at Wembley Stadium. "I want it to happen here [Wembley]. All the odds stacked against me.
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Getty | Anthony Joshua has been absent from the ring since his defeat to Daniel Dubois in September"I believe that I will beat him and shock the world and create one of the biggest upsets in boxing history."
Fury revealed his boxing return plans during an appearance at BoxPark Wembley ahead of Saturday's Usyk-Dubois rematch.
The two-time world champion announced his fourth retirement in January following consecutive defeats to Oleksandr Usyk.
After receiving a standing ovation from supporters, Fury admitted: "That's what I f*****g miss. I miss it! I do miss it, every single day I wake up in the morning and miss it."
The 36-year-old confirmed his intentions for next year: "I'm not going to be doing any comebacks this year, that's for sure... And then next year the big GK is going to make a f*****g comeback."