Amir Khan’s reaction was notably serious when the idea of Jake Paul facing off against Anthony Joshua was brought up. There was no laughter, no dismissive gestures, nor a hint of eye-rolling. Instead, Khan paused thoughtfully, showing the kind of deep consideration that comes from understanding the gravity of the situation.

Speaking with Daily Mail Sport at the IBA 2025 Boxing World Championships in Dubai, Khan remarked, “People get killed in boxing. That’s the reality of it and that’s the risk of a fight like this.” His words cut through any notion of the encounter being mere social media spectacle.

Initially, Khan found it hard to believe that a fight between an accomplished former Olympic gold medalist and a YouTuber-turned-boxer could be a serious proposition. However, witnessing the face-off between the two fighters made the glaring disparity unmistakable.

In Khan’s eyes, this isn’t just another entertainment gimmick; it’s a precarious clash where celebrity status meets raw physical power, carrying potential consequences that extend well beyond the boxing ring.

“I think this could be the end of YouTubers jumping in with real active fighters,” Khan expressed. “It only takes one shot. One bad night, one clean shot, and someone can get seriously hurt. We’ve seen how drastically someone’s life can change in an instant.”

Amir Khan did not laugh when the subject of Jake Paul fighting Anthony Joshua came up

Joshua (pictured right) and Paul (pictured left) will go toe-to-toe on Friday night in Miami

Joshua, a former two-time unified heavyweight champion and Olympic gold medallist, is not simply bigger than Paul. He is trained to hurt people. Just take his KO wins over the likes of Francis Ngannou, Wladimir Klitschko, Dillian Whyte and more. 

‘AJ can bang,’ Khan said. ‘He’s a former world champion. He’s got power, size, everything. If he lands clean, the damage he can do is scary. Especially when he is landing it on someone like Jake Paul. He’s not capable of taking that sort of power. He’s still new to the game.’

Khan speaks with the authority of someone who has lived the risks of the sport. He knows how thin the line is between spectacle and catastrophe – witnessing it first hand. 

‘Boxing is a sport where you can be killed,’ he said. ‘Imagine AJ freezing him with one shot and catching him clean. That’s not a game anymore. That’s his life. It could never be the same again.’

He points to Joshua’s recent demolition of Francis Ngannou as a warning, not a comparison. ‘Ngannou could bang, take punishment and give it back,’ Khan said. ‘He had the size, the strength, the chin. Jake doesn’t have anywhere near that and looked what happened to Ngannou. Jake’s never taken punches like this in his life.’

Which raises an uncomfortable question: should the fight even be allowed to happen? In Khan’s view, boxing commissions are rarely the moral firewall fans hope for.

‘Let’s be honest about how boxing works,’ Khan said. ‘When there’s big money involved, money talks. If the cheque is big enough, people suddenly stop asking questions. That’s the reality of the sport.’ 

He believes that financial power can bend even the strictest regulations, regardless of the risks involved.

Joshua built his name through his rags-to-riches story and desire to give back to boxing

Paul has become a global superstar in his own right after coming from the YouTube world 

Paul beat Mike Tyson last year and has only lost one since turning to boxing (pictured above)

‘Money is a very powerful thing,’ Khan said. ‘It changes minds. It opens doors. You can buy pretty much anything in this world, and that includes silence. That’s why fights like this get made, even when deep down everyone knows someone could get seriously hurt, or worse.’

The suggestion that the bout could be scripted only heightens Khan’s concern, not just for safety, but for Anthony Joshua’s standing in the sport. Although, he refuses to believe the British boxing legend would engage in such a fight. 

‘I really hope it’s not scripted,’ Khan said. ‘Because if it is, it damages AJ’s career and his legacy in a big way. Once you do something like that, people never look at you the same again. But, I don’t believe it. 

‘This is an Olympic gold medallist,’ Khan said. ‘He’s a multiple-time world champion. He’s a real professional fighter who’s dedicated his life to boxing. You don’t build a legacy like that and then throw it away just for money.’ 

For Joshua, Khan believes there is no room for ambiguity in the outcome.

‘If AJ wants his legacy to stay intact, he has to win this fight properly,’ Khan said. ‘Not scrape through, not mess around. He has to knock him out. That’s the only way people will accept it.’

Anything less, Khan warns, would invite ridicule, suspicion and long-term damage to Joshua’s reputation.

‘He’s a real boxer,’ Khan said. ‘There’s a massive size difference between them. Just look at AJ, his muscles, his frame, the size of him. Put them next to each other and even a blind man would know how this ends.’