Jake Paul possesses the capability to defeat Anthony Joshua in a rematch should he undertake a full training camp next time, according to MVP co-founder Nakisa Bidarian. The boxing manager's assessment comes after Paul's December encounter with the former two-time heavyweight champion, which ended in a sixth-round stoppage victory for Joshua.
According to Sky Sports, Bidarian expressed frustration about the circumstances surrounding Paul's Joshua bout, which took place on minimal notice.
The damage Paul sustained was severe. He required the removal of several teeth and had two titanium plates inserted into his mouth following the knockout blow. Joshua subsequently moved on to face Albanian heavyweight Kristian Prenga in July, overcoming two first-round knockdowns, and is now preparing for a heavyweight showdown against Tyson Fury scheduled for December 11 at Cardiff's Principality Stadium.
I was pretty vocal that I didn't want him to do the fight on three weeks' notice, Bidarian stated when discussing Paul's preparation for the Joshua clash.
The MVP executive highlighted that Paul's performance against Joshua compared favourably to Joshua's subsequent opponent.
He did better than the guy Anthony Joshua fought in July [Prenga] and was not KO'd, Bidarian noted.
Bidarian suggested the fight was rushed rather than a complete mismatch.
I don't think it was a massive overshoot, Jake landed quite a few times on AJ and you saw in July AJ is vulnerable but it was too fast, not enough prep time, he explained.
The weight disparity compounded the challenge.
He was cutting weight to fight Gervonta Davis and then suddenly fighting a guy who was 40lbs naturally heavier than him, Bidarian said.
If Jake had to do that with the right training camp he'd have a really good shot at beating AJ.
Paul's resilience following the defeat impressed Bidarian.
One of the things Jake said last week was, 'I'm a bigger dog than I've ever been because none of those punches actually hurt, sure he broke my jaw and I fell down but if you saw my face I said woah, that was a zinger, that felt good', Bidarian recounted.
Tell me who else breaks their jaw in two places, stands in the ring and does and interview for 10 minutes talking about the fight. That's who the warrior Jake Paul is.
Return to the ring scheduled
Paul announced this week that he will return to boxing on Christmas Eve in Dubai, marking his first scheduled bout since the Joshua fight. According to Sky Sports, MVP has confirmed the December 24, 2026 event, though the opponent and further event details have not yet been announced.
The comeback follows a year away from competition. According to the BBC, Paul's professional record stands at 12 wins and two losses, with seven victories coming by knockout. His two professional defeats have been to Tommy Fury and Joshua.
The Joshua fight drew significant viewership. According to MMA Junkie, the bout reportedly drew 33 million viewers.
Darren Till among contenders
Bidarian confirmed that Darren Till remains under consideration as a potential opponent for Paul's Dubai return. The MVP executive explained that the shortlist has narrowed to three or four names as negotiations continue.
We are down to three or four names, just trying to see ultimately who we get across the finish line, Bidarian told Sky Sports News.
Darren [Till] is definitely somebody we've had on the list. There are two or three names that are still under consideration.
Paul's previous opponents have included Mike Tyson, Julio César Chávez Jr, Nate Diaz and Joshua, providing him with a progressively challenging resume.
Bidarian stressed the importance of finding an appropriately matched opponent.
It's going to be exciting, and, as every Jake Paul fight is, an even match-up. Every step Jake has taken based on experience or level has been evenly matched and he's come through, other than the fight against Anthony Joshua, he has come through with flying colours.
The MVP chief reflected on Paul's push for the Joshua fight.
Thirteen months ago, he pressed me on fighting Anthony Joshua within a three-week window, he pressed me he could beat him. He was knocked down, TKO'd, broken jaw in two places and now he's back after a year off so just trying to manage the right opponent who has commercial viability, who is a true test but who doesn't have a massive advantage versus Jake Paul.
Opponent announcement expected soon
Bidarian indicated that the opponent selection process is nearing completion.
I'm hoping whether it's next week or week after we'll announce who that opponent is, he said.
According to Sky Sports, MVP expects to reveal Paul's opponent and additional event details in the coming weeks, with the Dubai event set to take place on December 24, 2026.
