According to Nakisa Bidarian, a partner at Most Valuable Promotions, Jake Paul presented a sterner test for Anthony Joshua than the Albanian challenger Kristian Prenga did. The comments came after Joshua’s recent bout, his first since the controversial December showdown with the YouTuber‑turned‑boxer.
In that fight, the British heavyweight suffered a dramatic setback when Paul knocked him down twice within the opening round, leaving Joshua on the canvas before he managed to rise and continue. In the follow‑up fight against Prenga, Joshua again found himself knocked down twice in the opening round, this time by the relatively unknown Albanian.
He managed to scramble back to his feet on both occasions, only to deliver a decisive second‑round knockout that sent Prenga to the mat in spectacular fashion. The victory kept Joshua’s schedule on track for a potential year‑end clash with Tyson Fury, a bout that fans have been eagerly anticipating. Bidarian, however, used the occasion to highlight how Paul’s performance against Joshua revealed a level of resilience and durability that the Prenga fight did not fully showcase.
"Jake Paul achieved more than the opponent on Saturday night did," she told Sky Sports News. "He lasted six rounds, whereas the other fighter was finished in two rounds, enduring the same punches that Jake took." She went on to express satisfaction with Paul’s showing despite the disappointing outcome for him, noting that the broken jaw he sustained did not diminish the significance of his effort. "I’m pleased with his performance, even though the result was not what we wanted and his jaw was broken.
The hardest blows that landed on Paul didn’t have the same effect on a heavyweight like Joshua on Saturday." Joshua’s return to the ring also carried a deep emotional weight. It marked his first appearance in the squared circle after surviving a tragic car accident in Nigeria that claimed the lives of two close friends. The loss has lingered in his mind, and he dedicated his victory over Prenga to those friends—Sina Ghami and Latif ‘Latz’ Ayodele—who had been an integral part of his support network. Bidarian praised Joshua’s courage and tenacity, saying, "I’m proud of him, I’m in awe of him.
I’ve been messaging him all week. We built a relationship with Sina, which was difficult for all of us, but especially for their families and for AJ, who became part of that family. To step back into the ring seven months later, carrying that emotional baggage, shows immense respect and admiration." While Paul has not stepped back into the ring since his jaw was fractured in two places by Joshua’s knockout punch, Bidarian remains confident that his boxing career is far from over. She outlined an ambitious list of potential future opponents for Paul, ranging from former UFC heavyweight champion Francis Ngannou to Britain’s own Chris Eubank Jr., and even the WBC welterweight champion Ryan Garcia.
"He’s 100 percent going back to boxing," Bidarian asserted. "Jake wants to fight Ngannou, Ryan Garcia, and a bout with Tommy Fury makes sense.
A clash with Edgar Berlanga would be fascinating, and I also like the idea of a fight with Chris Eubank Jr. Those are all compelling match‑ups." Bidarian cautioned, however, that any prospective opponent must also be realistic about the financial realities of the sport. "Sometimes the ambitions of fighters exceed what the box office can actually support," she warned, underscoring the need for mutually beneficial negotiations.
The broader MVP schedule continues to build momentum, with the upcoming MVPW‑06 event in Birmingham slated for August 29. The card will be headlined by a clash between Mikaela Mayer and Chantelle Cameron, with Caroline Dubois also featured on the undercard.
Fans can catch the action live on Sky Sports or stream the event without a contract through the network’s boxing platform. In summary, while Joshua’s win over Prenga was decisive, Bidarian believes that the earlier encounter with Jake Paul offered a more rigorous test of the heavyweight’s abilities. Paul’s resilience over six rounds, despite ultimately losing and sustaining a serious jaw injury, demonstrates that he remains a formidable presence in the sport.
With a slate of high‑profile opponents on the horizon and a supportive promoter confident in his future, Paul’s next steps in boxing are eagerly anticipated by both fans and industry insiders alike.