Jake Paul may have finally floated a matchup that even Dana White would watch, but the UFC chief could not hide his disbelief at the rumor involving Anthony Joshua.
Paul has been hinting at a desire to move toward a meeting with Joshua in December. He has no opponent at the moment after the cancellation of his planned fight with Gervonta Davis, which left a large opening for speculation. Once White heard the talk, he offered a blunt verdict.
When told about the idea at the UFC 322 media gathering, White replied immediately.
“Oh Jesus,” White said. “That’s a f*cking bad idea. That’s a bad idea.”
Dana White shared his thoughts on Jake Paul fighting Anthony Joshua next:
“That’s a f*cking bad idea… Everybody’s gonna get what they’ve finally been waiting for.” 😬 pic.twitter.com/vqdhbsikYv
— Happy Punch (@HappyPunch) November 16, 2025
Paul carries a professional boxing record of twelve wins and one defeat, although most of his opposition has come from MMA veterans who crossed into boxing or boxers with limited upside. His only heavyweight appearance came against a fifty eight year old Mike Tyson, which went the full distance.
His lone loss was a close split decision against Tommy Fury, and Paul has yet to share the ring with an established elite heavyweight. Joshua, even with recent setbacks, remains one of the most experienced big men in the sport.
Joshua recently suffered a knockout defeat to Daniel Dubois, but only months earlier he delivered a devastating stoppage against former UFC heavyweight champion Francis Ngannou in Ngannou’s second boxing match. Because of that contrast, many observers believe a fight with Paul would be extremely one sided.
White expects heavy interest if it happens
Despite warning against the idea, White acknowledged the massive attention the event would draw.
“Let me tell you what, a lot of people will watch that one,” White said. “Sure I will watch. You know what everybody’s tuning in for on that one. I think everybody’s going to get what they’ve finally been waiting for.”
While nothing has been agreed to, Paul keeps pushing the idea publicly and seems intent on a major name for his next fight. Joshua has not publicly dismissed the possibility, which has only added fuel to the discussion.
