'I learned my lesson': Jake Paul on Anthony Joshua loss
Jake Paul told The Pat McAfee Show that fighting Anthony Joshua taught him a costly lesson: the YouTuber-turned-boxer suffered a broken jaw in a sixth-round knockout last December and now says he will not challenge Olympic gold medal heavyweight boxers again, even as he eyes boxing and MMA comeback fights.
Seven months after Anthony Joshua dropped him multiple times and ended their bout with a fight-ending right hand, Paul offered his clearest post-fight roadmap yet. Speaking on Wednesday's Pat McAfee Show, he confirmed he expects medical clearance to spar within weeks and remains "definitely still fighting" despite the injury that has kept him out of the ring.
Key Takeaways
- Paul says he "learned his lesson" and will avoid Olympic gold medal heavyweight opponents after Joshua broke his jaw.
- He expects sparring clearance within weeks and is in talks with multiple boxing and MMA opponents.
- Potential next fights include Brock Lesnar and Nate Diaz in MMA, plus a possible boxing match with Floyd Mayweather.
- Paul beat Diaz in a 2023 boxing match but has pursued an MMA rematch for years.
- Paul joked he would still fight elite heavyweights "if the paycheck is big enough."
What did Jake Paul say about fighting Anthony Joshua?
Paul's December loss to Anthony Joshua marked the second defeat of his professional boxing career. Joshua, a former Olympic gold medalist and two-time heavyweight champion, knocked Paul down repeatedly before the sixth-round finish that left Paul with two jaw fractures requiring surgery.
On The Pat McAfee Show, Paul said his jaw "heals back stronger" but drew a line on future opponents at Joshua's level. "I probably won't fight Olympic gold medallist heavyweights anymore," he told McAfee, according to BoxingScene. "That's smart, right? I learned my lesson."
Paul quickly added a caveat: "But if the paycheck is big enough I'll fight anybody. I'll break it again." The comments close the book, for now, on any immediate Anthony Joshua rematch chatter.
Who is Jake Paul targeting for his next fight?
Paul said he is "in talks right now with multiple opponents" across both boxing and MMA. On the MMA side, he called out former UFC heavyweight champion Brock Lesnar and revived his long-running pursuit of Nate Diaz.
Paul beat Diaz by unanimous decision in an August 2023 boxing bout, but told McAfee the MMA version remains "still on the table." He also expressed willingness to face Lesnar, citing his high school wrestling background in Ohio's competitive division.
In boxing, Paul opened the door to Floyd Mayweather. When McAfee floated the matchup, Paul quipped that Mayweather "needs the money," according to MMA Fighting. Paul added that his camp is speaking with "a lot of people" but declined to name a confirmed date.
When will Jake Paul return to training?
Paul has not fought or sparred since Joshua stopped him in round six. He told McAfee he will be "cleared officially to spar in the next couple of weeks," signaling the end of a lengthy rehabilitation period.
The timeline matters because Paul's originally scheduled bout against Gervonta Davis was swapped for the Joshua fight — a pivot that delivered global attention but came at a steep physical cost. As crossover combat sports continue to reshape how fans watch fights through streaming platforms, Paul's recovery arc underscores the risks of stepping up against elite competition — a theme we track across the Future Tech & AI Wonders beat.
Paul also teased expansion for his Most Valuable Promotions MMA venture, noting "big promotions getting more into the whole MMA world." Whether his next appearance comes in a boxing ring or an MMA cage, his Pat McAfee comments make one thing clear: the Anthony Joshua chapter hardened his opponent selection, not his ambition to keep fighting.