Joshua has no regrets about taking down Paul

Former heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua has made it clear that he feels no regret over the damage he caused Jake Paul in their fight in December 2025, according to PUNCH Sports Extra.

The British-Nigerian boxer was asked about Paul's possible retirement. He responded with a cold smile and said, "I think that’s what was asked of me, and I think I delivered," during his appearance on the Mr Verzace Podcast.

In the sixth round of their bout in Miami, Joshua broke Paul's jaw in two places. This left the YouTuber-turned-boxer needing two titanium plates and a record of 12-2 in professional boxing.

Paul has not fought since that match. He recently told journalist Ariel Helwani that he might be done with boxing.

Joshua's Mission

As Joshua prepares for his next fight against Kristian Prenga in Saudi Arabia on July 25, he shared that he had a clear mission before the match against Paul.

"There was a strict message that was given, and a task that was laid upon me, and that was to get rid of Jake Paul and remove him from our beloved sport," he explained.

"Whether that took me one round or six rounds, I believe the job was well and truly done."

Joshua also said the fight helped to restart his career after being away from the ring for over a year, following his knockout loss to Daniel Dubois in September 2024.

"I come back to Miami on the biggest stage, and people see that light, that energy. A lot of people said, ‘That’s the guy we knew,’ and it felt good to be back," he added.

A Tragic Event

Not long after the fight with Paul, Joshua was in a serious car crash in Nigeria. The accident took the lives of two close friends and team members, Sina Ghami and Latif Ayodele. He was a passenger in the car at that time.

Now, Joshua is focused on Prenga in July. He is also looking forward to a big fight with Tyson Fury later this year. Fury returned to the ring in April after 16 months away and won by points against Arslanbek Makhmudov. Both Frank Warren and Eddie Hearn have confirmed the deal for the Fury-Joshua fight, which is expected in November.

Joshua believes this upcoming fight is just one of many he wants to take on before he retires. His long-term goal is to win a third world heavyweight title.

"I need another title," he said.

"I made a decision for myself. This is my purpose. I’m talented, I’m quite smart, I can do a lot of things, but I want to use all my energy and align my focus and just be a champion again."