Jake Paul’s former rival places huge $20,000 bet on Anthony Joshua fight

Nov 26, 2025 - 13:00

Nate Diaz is certainly confident that Jake Paul will stun the world and beat Anthony Joshua.

Paul and Joshua are set to meet in bumper heavyweight contest on December 19.

Jake Paul and Nate Diaz clash in the ring — Paul convincingly defeated Diaz on points when they shared the ring

Diaz has prior history with Paul, having fallen to defeat in his pro boxing debut against the rising star in 2023.

Paul is this time a huge underdog in his clash with Joshua, unlike when he fought the former UFC star two years ago.

Although Diaz is confident that the YouTuber-turned-boxer has what it takes to cause one of the sport’s biggest upsets in history next month.

He has since put his money where his mouth is and revealed a whopping $20,000 betting slip in support of his former rival.

Should Paul somehow manage to overcome Joshua, Diaz’ bet would return a grand total of $142,000.

Diaz’s motivation likely comes from a bid to try and get a second meeting with Paul.

The UFC star even reportedly accepted an offer to fill Gervonta Davis‘ spot after his exhibition with Paul was cancelled.

But, the 28-year-old opted to chase a lucrative showdown with ‘AJ’ instead.

Could Nate Diaz’s bet on Jake Paul vs Anthony Joshua win?

Paul is particularly confident that he will beat the Briton next month and is even vowing to knock him out.

But it’s undeniable that Joshua has a clear advantage over Paul in almost every category.

Jake Paul and Anthony Joshua face off in Miami press conference — At 6 ft 6 in Joshua towers over Paul who is said to come in at 6 ft 1 in

A tale of the tape comparing Anthony Joshua's boxing record to Jake Paul's — Here’s how ‘AJ’ measures up with Paul, who is eight years his junior

Joshua is taller, naturally heavier and the more experienced of the pair but Paul doesn’t seem fazed by the statistics.

The only edge Paul has over ‘AJ’ is recent activity, as the Briton has been sidelined since Daniel Dubois knocked him out in 2024.

Across his pro career so far the American has had just 13 fights, with one loss coming at the hands of Tommy Fury in 2023.

His record includes just one controversial heavyweight outing with the legendary Mike Tyson in 2024.

Although as a natural cruiserweight (200lbs) Paul seems to think that his experience at a lower weight will ultimately benefit him.

He explained: “[Joshua] is an amazing fighter and one of the best heavyweights ever.

Jake Paul at his press conference for the fight against Anthony Joshua. — Paul is confident that he will bring about the outcome which will see Diaz win big

“I just think with speed and footwork and being in a rhythm, I do not think he can handle that and he does not like that because he is a little bit stiff. He does rely on his power.

“Obviously, you get hit by one of his shots, you’re cooked, but I believe I will be able to float like a butterfly and sting like a bee.”

There’s not long now until we will find out if Paul really is up to the task, as the pair put their records on the line at the Kaseya Center in Miami in a few weeks.