Jake Paul has dismissed long-running claims that his fights are fixed as “the deepest compliment”, insisting that accusations of rigged bouts only underline how far his boxing career has progressed as he prepares for his most audacious challenge yet against Anthony Joshua.
The American YouTuber-turned-boxer has spent much of his professional life batting away conspiracy theories that his victories are prearranged, a narrative that has followed him through nearly every high-profile contest.
Those allegations intensified after Paul’s controversial win over Mike Tyson in November last year, when the former heavyweight champion returned to the ring at the age of 58.
In the aftermath, promoters issued a formal statement denying the bout was staged, while Paul went as far as hiring high-profile lawyer Alex Spiro and threatening legal action against those spreading what he described as baseless claims online.
Now, with a professionally sanctioned clash against Joshua looming on Friday, the noise has returned.
Some fans have already suggested that if Paul survives the opening rounds against Britain’s former two-time heavyweight champion – let alone pulls off a victory – it must be proof of another fix.
Paul, however, appears energised rather than irritated by the accusations.
Jake Paul beat Mike Tyson by majority decision last November | REUTERS
“I don’t give a f**k about what these people are saying, they’re always gonna have some excuse,” Paul said, according to The Sun.
“And I take it as the deepest compliment that they chalk up what I’m doing to being rigged, ‘fake fights’.
“That’s how incredible and the level I’m on and the amazing things that I’m doing is that they can only chalk it up to this fake storyline and just paying them millions, hundreds of millions of dollars to take a dive.
Five facts about boxing that fans might not know | GBNEWS/PA
“I take that as a compliment.”
The bout with Joshua represents a significant escalation in risk.
Paul, 28, fought at heavyweight for the first time against Tyson, competing over eight two-minute rounds, but has otherwise operated largely at cruiserweight, around the 200lb mark.
Joshua, by contrast, will enter the ring at up to 245lb, almost four stone heavier, and with vastly superior experience at the elite level.
Despite the disparity, the contest has been sanctioned as a professional fight, scheduled for eight rounds with 10oz gloves, a detail that has further fuelled debate over safety and sporting legitimacy.
Joshua, now 36, has not fought since suffering a knockout defeat to Daniel Dubois in September 2024, a loss that halted his latest attempt to rebuild towards world title contention.
Jake Paul and Anthony Joshua will fight in the early hours of Saturday morning | GETTY
On paper, the mismatch appears stark. Joshua is an Olympic gold medallist who had already won and defended world titles before Paul made his professional debut in 2020.
Yet Paul insists the reputations are misleading and has delivered a characteristically provocative assessment of his opponent.
“On paper, the cards are stacked against me,” Paul said. “But really, in terms of boxing, I’m a better boxer than AJ, which is like hilarious to say.
“But he’s got two left feet, he’s stiff. If I was his coach, I’d put him in a dance class first before trying to box.”
How the action plays out remains to be seen.
However, should Paul emerge victorious, then it would certainly be the biggest triumph of his career so far.
