Jake Paul surprised many by switching from a fight against Gervonta Davis to facing former heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua on Dec. 19 in Miami, a move seen by some, including UFC legend Matt Brown, as a risky but respect-worthy decision for Paul, despite the overwhelming odds favoring Joshua.
Shockwaves rippled through the MMA world when Jake Paul announced he was ditching a fight with Gervonta “Tank” Davis for a December showdown with Anthony Joshua in Miami. Fans were left scratching their heads, wondering about the sudden switch from a smaller opponent to a heavyweight powerhouse.
Paul’s move from Davis, who fights around 135 pounds, to Joshua, a legit heavyweight with knockout power, raised eyebrows. The odds are heavily stacked against Paul, with Joshua opening as a 12-to-1 favorite.
UFC legend Matt Brown speculates this is a payday for Joshua, facing Paul, who’s only tangled with five real boxers, including a loss to Tommy Fury in 2023. Brown thinks Joshua’s in it for the money, saying, “If this isn’t rigged, Joshua murders Jake Paul.”
Brown’s skepticism extends to the fight even happening. “This is PR. This is bullshit,” he remarked, doubting the match will actually take place. But if it does, he respects Paul for stepping up.
Despite the odds, Paul boldly claims he can win, even as Joshua, now 36, comes off a knockout loss to Daniel Dubois. Joshua’s recent setbacks might give Paul a glimmer of hope for an upset.
Brown suggests now’s the time for contenders to take on Joshua, hinting that Paul might be trying to capitalize on Joshua’s waning career. Yet, Brown doesn’t see Paul pulling off a shocking upset like Matt Serra or Buster Douglas.
“You don’t even give him a Hail Mary chance,” Brown says, emphasizing the difficulty of such an upset in boxing. If Paul survives eight rounds, Brown admits he’d be diving into conspiracy theories.
The fight’s perceived mismatch might fuel allegations of it being fixed, especially with UFC’s recent controversies. “If Jake doesn’t get knocked out, it’s a conspiracy,” Brown insists.
Assuming no shenanigans, Brown sees a grim outcome for Paul. “He doesn’t have a chance if it’s a real fight,” he concludes, leaning toward conspiracy theories to make sense of it all.
Brown can’t shake the feeling there’s more at play than Paul wanting a real fight. “It doesn’t add up,” he says, but if Paul genuinely fights Joshua, “mad respect” is due, regardless of the outcome.
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