The highly anticipated boxing match between social media influencer-turned-boxer Jake Paul and former unified heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua is set to take place on Friday at Kaseya Center in Miami, live on Netflix. This unexpected pairing came about after Jake Paul's previously scheduled fight with WBA lightweight champion Gervonta "Tank" Davis was canceled due to Davis's latest legal issues. Paul, determined to secure an opponent before the end of 2025, decided to accelerate his long-term plan to face Joshua, admitting he didn't expect the fight to happen so soon.

Before settling on Joshua, Paul revealed that a fight with three-division undisputed champion Terence Crawford was very close to materializing. The only obstacle was aligning their schedules, with Paul suggesting a potential Crawford bout in 2026 after the Joshua fight. Another prominent name considered for a December fight, though not on Paul's official "hit list," was former UFC heavyweight champion Francis Ngannou. However, Ngannou declined Paul's offer, telling TMZ he felt "disrespected" by the proposition, stating it "makes no sense" and is not about the money. Paul expressed surprise at Ngannou's refusal, calling fighters, especially Ngannou, "not very smart people" and predicted Ngannou would be "exposed" when he sees Paul outperform him against Joshua.

Paul's "hit list" of desired opponents, first posted in 2021, has seen him fight six of twelve targets to date. Both Joshua and Crawford are on his updated list. Looking ahead, Paul also mentioned UFC light heavyweight champion Alex Pereira as another name on his list. However, securing a fight with Pereira could be challenging due to his UFC contract and Paul's ongoing public rift with UFC CEO Dana White. Despite this, Paul sees a "sliver of hope" with White entering the boxing business with Zuffa Boxing in 2026, though he doubts the UFC would allow one of its MMA fighters to take a boxing match against a "Disney kid" who could potentially inflict a loss on their superstar.

The Paul vs. Joshua fight has ignited considerable debate, intrigue, and controversy within the boxing world, drawing varied opinions from some of the sport's biggest names. Anthony Joshua himself stated his intention to "outshine and hurt" Paul, emphasizing that his mood is to "box, outclass, outshine and hurt my opponent no matter who it is," irrespective of contractual obligations.

Former WBC heavyweight champion Tyson Fury predicted the fight would go the distance, calling it "a move around and a points job." Heavyweight contender Otto Wallin, who has previously faced Joshua, warned that it's "pretty dangerous" for Jake Paul due to Joshua's incredibly hard hitting, suggesting Paul and his team might be "seriously underestimating Joshua." Wallin believes it should be a "simple win for Joshua" and that Paul risks severe injury.

Unified heavyweight champion Oleksandr Usyk delivered a particularly strong assessment, stating that "If Anthony Joshua wants, he can kill this guy." Usyk likened Paul to a "Fiat" compared to Joshua's "Rolls Royce," dismissing the fight as solely "business, more money." Interestingly, Usyk expressed a personal desire to fight Jake Paul in an MMA octagon. Former WBC heavyweight champion Deontay Wilder highlighted the significant weight difference between Paul (around 215 lbs) and Joshua (around 250 lbs), noting that few fighters can handle such a disparity, a feat he himself is capable of.

Promoter Frank Warren described the event as a "car crash waiting to happen," albeit one that will generate "big viewing figures." He saw it as a "safe option" for Joshua, despite Paul being a "massive underdog." Moses Itauma, while not wanting Paul to beat Joshua, commended Paul's ambition to "conquer boxing" after YouTube and stated he would be "behind him for his success story."

Cruiserweight Lawrence Okolie acknowledged the "crazy difference in size, skill" but noted that "crazier things have happened." He speculated that Joshua might not seek a quick knockout, possibly using the fight as an exercise, but warned that if Paul manages to "clip him" and survive an initial hard hit, the fight could become "interesting." David Adeleye pragmatically viewed the fight as "big money" for Joshua and "good for boxing," drawing parallels to historical exhibition fights by legends like Muhammad Ali.

Tony Bellew offered a stark warning to Paul, stating that despite sparring heavyweights with larger gloves and head guards, "He will not have ever felt anything like it when [Joshua] touches him for the first time with 10oz gloves on, and trust me, he's in for a rude awakening." Finally, Callum Simpson predicted an "easy night's work for AJ," but cautioned that it might not be as quick a knockout as many expect, especially if Paul focuses on survival rather than engagement. If Paul chooses to engage, Simpson believes he will be knocked out, but if he aims to survive, he might perform better than anticipated, potentially surprising viewers.