Be Careful What You Wish For: Hearn

American YouTuber-turned-professional boxer Jake Paul is the front runner to fight former two-time heavyweight world champion Anthony Joshua next, says the Briton's long-time promoter Eddie Hearn.

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LONDON –

The bout, which could take place in early 2026, would potentially be a career-high payday for Joshua, added Hearn.

The 35-year-old has not fought since losing to Daniel Dubois in September 2024 and is targeting a return later in 2025 after undergoing elbow surgery in May.

Paul, 28, has beaten veterans Mike Tyson and Julio Cesar Chavez Jr at heavyweight and cruiserweight respectively.

Hearn, who was in New York for talks with Paul's business partner Nakisa Bidarian, told BBC Sport on Aug 10: "At first I thought it was a publicity stunt from Jake and now the more I speak to them, the more I actually understand Jake Paul thinks he can beat Anthony Joshua.

"This is a step too far. So be careful what you wish for, because this isn't a game.

"This isn't YouTube. This isn't Disney. This is the danger zone."

Both Hearn and Bidarian said the fight would probably take place at a stadium in the United States.

The Paul-Tyson bout in November 2024, which drew 72,000 spectators to the AT&T Stadium in Texas, also attracted an audience of some 60 million households worldwide as it was streamed live on Netflix.