Paul is stepping up to heavyweight, and he is facing a leading contender who has shared the ring with some of boxing’s biggest names including Wladimir Klitschko and Oleksandr Usyk. 

Last year, Joshua was stopped in five rounds by Daniel Dubois but his time away from the ring has only motivated him to become world champion for a third time and he has been linked to a rematch against Dubois in 2026 as well as a huge showdown with Tyson Fury. 

Paul has spent his career facing faded boxers or former UFC champions and the jump to Joshua has many within boxing concerned due to the size and experience advantages the British fighter will hold.  

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Bellew, who gate-crashed Paul’s press conference with Mike Tyson last year, has often been critical of Paul’s credentials, but he has nothing but admiration for the challenge he is about to take on. 

“Listen, people have wanted him to take on a real fight for a long time, and it doesn’t get much more real than Joshua being in the opposite corner,” said Bellew when speaking exclusively to DAZN News. 

“This fight can only go one way with both fighters being at their best and that is Joshua producing a big knockout or stoppage in the early stages. I believe Jake Paul is going to get the biggest shock of his lief when he sees what a dangerous fighter who is still very much active can do. 

“If he goes down early then there’s a good chance he may realise he’s not capable of being at this level, but there’s also the chance that bravery takes over, and he gets up to continue. If that happens then I’m worried what Joshua might actually do to him.”

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