A former foe of Anthony Joshua is all behind the Watford native’s reported pursuit of a lucrative payday against the polarizing Jake Paul.
A former two-time heavyweight champion, Anthony Joshua has been linked with a whole host of fights since his most recent loss to Daniel Dubois in his return last year.
But the current “front runner” to land a pairing with the Olympian, according to his Matchroom Boxing promoter Eddie Hearn, is the controversial Ohio upstart Jake Paul.
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And while many in the boxing community have branded the prospective clash as a mismatch, a former foe of Joshua is all for the potential fight.
Anthony Joshua urged to fight Jake Paul by Dillian Whyte
Himself returning to the ring this weekend, former interim WBC champion Dillian Whyte faces a sizeable test in the form of the unbeaten prospect Moses Itauma in a main event showdown in the Middle East.
And while the likes of former undisputed WBC heavyweight champion Tyson Fury — a former foe of Whyte — have criticized the potential matchup, the Jamaican veteran has urged Joshua to go and secure a lucrative payday for himself.
“It’s a business, man,” Whyte told the BBC. “If it (Anthony Joshua vs. Jake Paul) makes sense and it does numbers, then why not?
“He’s won the title twice, he’s done a lot,” Whyte said of Joshua. “[He’s] had a lot of fights. I’m sure he’ll make more money from that fight [with Paul] than he has done in some of his title fights.
“So, sometimes you say, if we can make some money, make some money, man.”
And while a showdown with Paul has been heavily mooted, another potential opponent for Joshua has already been played down by the gold medal winner.
Anthony Joshua mocks Andre Ward after surprise callout
Overnight, Joshua was the subject of a surprise callout from the retired former light heavyweight champion and fellow Olympian, Andre Ward — who expressed his willingness to snap his eight-year hiatus to fight him at the heavyweight limit.
Offering Joshua the chance to compete at Wembley Stadium in a blockbuster clash, Ward was immediately shut down by Joshua — who questioned his reasoning for suggesting the fight.
“Pay day, pay day (Canelo Alvarez voice),” Joshua posted in response to Ward in a now-deleted video on Instagram.