JAKE PAUL has struck an “agreement” to fight Anthony Joshua in 2026.
The YouTuber-turned-boxer called out the two-time heavyweight world champion earlier in the year – leading to shock talks.
GettyAnthony Joshua and Jake Paul have struck an ‘agreement’ to fight in 2026[/caption]
GettyBut first Jake Paul faces Gervonta Davis[/caption]
But Paul, 28, decided to first face lightweight champion Gervonta Davis, 30, in an exhibition bout on November 14 in Miami.
Nakisa Bidarian – who co-founded Most Valuable Promotions with Paul – led negotiations with Joshua’s promoter Eddie Hearn.
And he confirmed AJ is still in Paul’s plans for next year – even claiming an agreement has been verbally struck to do the fight in 2026.
Bidarian said: “Anthony Joshua is 100 per cent still a target. He’s trying to fight in February in I think Ghana, they’ve come out with that.
“But pending this fight and pending everything coming together, absolutely. We have an agreement in principle.”
Bidarian also said the fight would likely land in America.
Joshua, 35, has been out of the ring since September 2024 when he was knocked out by Daniel Dubois, 28, at Wembley.
He has since undergone elbow surgery in the summer and looks set to return at the start of the year.
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Hearn confirmed an offer has come in to fight in Ghana – which could also pave the way as a warm-up to face Tyson Fury in 2026.
Fury, 37, retired in January after consecutive losses to Oleksandr Usyk, 38, but has teased a comeback while being called out by AJ online.
Paul moved up to heavyweight last year when Mike Tyson made a controversial comeback aged 58.
Over 100 MILLION watched on Netflix as the heavyweight great lost over eight shorter rounds of two minutes.
Paul weighed 16st 2lb (227lb) which is still TWO STONE lighter than Joshua’s last fighting weight of 18st.
The American did return back down to cruiserweight in June when he beat ex-middleweight champion Julio Cesar Chavez Jr, 39, in California.
That came after talks to face Canelo Alvarez, 35, collapsed after the Mexican superstar instead focused on fighting Terence Crawford, 37, later losing in September.
Davis was originally set to face Paul earlier in the year but he drew with Lamont Roach, also 30, in March.
But after snubbing a rematch, negotiations with Paul’s camp were revisited before announcing their exhibition.
Bidarian clarified: “Listen, Canelo was the first choice, we believed we had that deal done, obviously there was a different outcome.
“This was the next fight. There was never any discussions to fight Anthony Joshua in 2025. That was always a 2026 discussion.”
Bidarian then revealed they have an “understanding” to fight Joshua next year.
But, Hearn previously told Sky Sports: “We’re certainly not holding out for a Jake Paul fight.
“We’re making our own plans and that will be January, February 2026.”
Hearn added: “They’ve come on to me and said we want to make that fight [with AJ].
“I said I can’t make that fight until you’ve fought Gervonta Davis in this exhibition.
“If you get chinned by Gervonta Davis, don’t think you’re fighting Anthony Joshua, it’s ridiculous.
“So we’d rather they didn’t take that fight if we’re going to make the [AJ] fight.”
Gervonta Davis and Jake Paul ahead of their exhibitionSarah Stier / Netflix Creator – [#item_custom_dc:creator]
