Damon MartinTue, December 2, 2025 at 9:00 PM UTC·2 min readOleksandr Usyk spent over an hour in the ring with Anthony Joshua across two fights so he knows exactly what Jake Paul is facing in the biggest test of his career.
While Usyk won both fights before conquering every major title to become the undisputed heavyweight champion, he understood the danger that Joshua represented as a former Olympic champion with legitimate one-punch knockout power. That’s why Usyk just doesn’t see a way for Paul to pull off this upset no matter how much he might tout himself as a serious challenger to beat Joshua on Dec. 19.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisement“If Anthony Joshua wants, he will kill this guy,” Usyk told Boxing Scene. “Listen, a lot of questions, blah, blah, blah … Anthony Joshua is an Olympic champion, first. Jake Paul, yeah a sportsman, a YouTuber, a showman.
“[Anthony Joshua is a] Rolls Royce, [Jake Paul is a] Fiat. Listen, it’s true. It’s just true.”
Paul is definitely facing long odds going up against a proven heavyweight like Joshua, who has far more experience at the highest levels of the sport compared to the social influencer turned boxer.
Obviously, Joshua is heavily favored to win but Paul insists he’s ready to shock the world, score a knockout over his most legitimate opponent to date and then move forward with his grand plans to become a world champion.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementIt’s safe to say Usyk doesn’t see that happening and he’s more worried about Paul actually surviving the fight than having any real chance at winning.
In fact, Usyk teased that he wants his own shot at beating Paul — but his designs are taking the fight to the UFC.
“Yes, I will pray [for] Jake Paul,” Usyk said. “Because I want to fight with Jake Paul in the octagon.”
While Paul prepares to face Joshua in December, Usyk last fought in July when he dished out a vicious fifth-round knockout to beat Daniel Dubois, which moved his undefeated record to a perfect 24-0.
AdvertisementAdvertisement
