TLDR
- Ryan Garcia says Jake Paul made a mistake booking Anthony Joshua fight for December 19
- Garcia believes Paul has almost no chance of winning, giving him “one in a million” odds
- Garcia questions where Paul’s career goes if he suffers a knockout loss to Joshua
- Paul’s fight with Joshua will be his 11th professional bout while Joshua has 28 fights
- Garcia was reportedly considered as Paul’s opponent but promotional conflicts prevented the match
Ryan Garcia Questions Jake Paul’s Decision to Fight Anthony Joshua
Ryan Garcia has shared his thoughts on Jake Paul’s upcoming fight against Anthony Joshua. The bout is scheduled for December 19 at Kaseya Center in Miami. Garcia believes Paul made a mistake by accepting this challenge.
Paul will face Joshua in a full eight-round professional boxing match. This represents Paul’s 11th professional fight. Joshua brings 28 previous professional bouts to the ring along with two unified heavyweight championships and an Olympic gold medal.
Garcia spoke about the matchup during a live stream on X. He questioned Paul’s decision-making process. “I think that this has been a misstep from Jake,” Garcia said.
The boxing star suggested Paul may have been trying to satisfy his partners at Netflix. The streaming platform will broadcast the fight. Garcia believes Paul walked into a dangerous situation.
Career Implications and Physical Risks
Garcia raised concerns about what happens to Paul after a potential loss. He questioned who Paul would fight next. Garcia asked if Paul would need to drop back down to 185 pounds after facing a heavyweight.
The former world champion highlighted the physical dangers Paul faces. He referenced Joshua’s knockout of Francis Ngannou. Garcia said the loss could be “life changing in many ways, physically and mentally.”
Garcia was reportedly considered as Paul’s next opponent. Oscar De La Hoya, Garcia’s promoter, blocked the fight. The issue involved promotional conflicts between DAZN and Netflix.
Garcia spoke about Paul’s possible strategy on Ring Magazine’s Inside the Ring show. He suggested Paul might believe his right hand is as powerful as Deontay Wilder’s. Garcia thinks Paul saw Daniel DuBois drop Joshua with a right hand and believes he can do the same.
The response from the boxing community has been mixed. Many fighters expressed surprise at Paul’s decision. Paul had numerous other options available for December fights.
Garcia gave his honest assessment of Paul’s chances. “Out of a million times if they fought, honest to God, I think he can maybe win one out of the million times they fight,” he said. When asked what Paul should do in the fight, Garcia joked that Paul’s only path to victory requires divine intervention.
Paul has not fought a true heavyweight contender before this matchup. His most recent fight was against Mike Tyson. That bout raised questions due to Tyson’s age at the time.
Joshua remains one of the top heavyweight talents in boxing today. He brings extensive experience at the highest level. The size difference between the two fighters presents another challenge for Paul.
Garcia questioned whether the financial appeal would remain after a knockout loss. He said he wouldn’t want to fight Paul after such a defeat. The December 19 fight represents the biggest test of Paul’s boxing career to date.
