‘That’s bad’ – Jake Paul handed new verdict for fight with Anthony Joshua
Jake Paul is set to take on Anthony Joshua in a heavyweight boxing match on December 19.
Jake Paul will fight Anthony Joshua next month (Image: Getty Images)
Daniel Cormier, the former two-division UFC champion, didn’t hold back when discussing Jake Paul’s upcoming heavyweight bout with Anthony Joshua.
The boxing community erupted with excitement on Monday when news broke that the two fighters would clash in Miami, Florida, on December 19. Initially, Paul was scheduled to battle Gervonta Davis last week, but the fight fell through.
Paul, who hasn’t competed since his dominant victory over veteran boxer Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. in June, was determined to fit in another bout before the year’s end, and Joshua, a former two-time heavyweight world champion, stepped up to the challenge.
The contest will feature eight three-minute rounds, and whatever the result, it will count toward both fighters’ professional records.
Numerous figures in the combat sports world have weighed in on the matchup, with several raising concerns about Paul’s safety. Cormier, though, has praised the YouTuber-turned-pugilist, believing he merits greater respect.
Anthony Joshua is a former heavyweight world champion (Image: Getty Images)
Yet the UFC legend also voiced apprehension, indicating that it represents a challenging opponent for the young American. During a recent conversation with Logan Paul, Cormier was questioned about his perspective on his younger sibling’s heavyweight encounter with ‘AJ.’
“It’s f—–. There’s got to be some rules in place for Anthony (Joshua),” Cormier said on Paul’s YouTube channel. “I keep telling people this… this is where these f—— people don’t know, especially these MMA dudes. I keep saying, ‘Stop treating Jake like he is not a boxer.’ “It’s been five years now of pure boxing, with great coaches and great training partners. He’s gotten a lot better. He can fight, man.”
Logan quickly asked: “Yeah, but what about Anthony Joshua?”
Without hesitation, Cormier remarked: “That’s bad, bro.”
Cormier added: “Like Francis (Ngannou). Francis went and fought him (Joshua). Francis was not training boxing at the level. Because, I would imagine, if Jake gets hurt, he knows how to hold… like a boxer. Because, in boxing, you have got to go and clinch when you get hurt. Francis was kind of like, standing there.
“Listen to me. I am going to tell you right here. If he fights Anthony Joshua with no parameters in place… y’all better give Jake Paul his credit. I will, because that is f—— brave.”
Joshua is utilizing next month’s bout as preparation before stepping back into the ring in February in Saudi Arabia. Should the 36-year-old emerge victorious from both contests, the heavyweight legend aims to finally clash with longtime rival Tyson Fury in September 2026.
