MMA legend Demetrious Johnson has weighed in on a potential boxing matchup between YouTuber-turned-boxer Jake Paul and former heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua.
The retired flyweight icon didn’t mince words when sharing his prediction during a recent discussion about the bout. “I think Jake can knock him out,” Johnson stated plainly, before elaborating on his reasoning behind such a bold claim.
Johnson pointed to Joshua’s vulnerability to certain punches throughout his career as evidence supporting his viewpoint. “Anthony Joshua has been knocked out by some weird-a*s shots before,” he explained, referencing specific instances from the British boxer’s record. He mentioned Andy Ruiz and noted that “Dubois knocked him out with a short overhand right.”
The MMA icon suggested that Paul possesses similar power in his arsenal. “Jake Paul can land one of those shots. He can,” Johnson said with conviction.
However, Johnson’s prediction comes with important caveats. He believes the outcome would heavily depend on Joshua’s tactical approach to such a contest. If the former two-time heavyweight champion employs his technical advantages and boxing IQ, the result could be drastically different.
“If Anthony Joshua doesn’t get on his bike, so he’ll start moving around,” Johnson explained, describing a scenario where Joshua could control the pace and distance. He illustrated his point by mimicking a counter-punching style: “Like, use that range. Start hitting the body. Make Jake Paul work. Make him miss.”
Johnson acknowledged that with the right strategy, Joshua could dominate the encounter. “Yeah, he can destroy Jake Paul, but I don’t see that happen,” he admitted candidly. The concern, according to Johnson, is that Joshua might try to match Paul’s aggression rather than rely on his superior boxing fundamentals.
“I think he’s going to try to prove a point,” Johnson speculated about Joshua’s potential mindset entering such a matchup.
Despite his analysis, Johnson was quick to add some humility to his assessment. “And you know what? Maybe my black a*s don’t know nothing. I don’t know s**t about boxing, right?” he said with self-awareness.
Nevertheless, he stood by his conclusion. “But I feel that Jake Paul could potentially knock out Anthony Joshua. I’m just saying it.”
