Jake Paul has ruled out a rematch with Anthony Joshua and confirmed he will return to the ring at cruiserweight, delivering the most detailed update yet on his fighting future during a sit-down interview with President Donald Trump recorded backstage at a political rally in Hebron, Kentucky, on March 11.<\/p>\n
The roughly 27-minute conversation, posted to Paul\u2019s social media channels<\/a> on Friday, opened with the fight game and stayed there for a significant portion of the sit-down \u2014 covering the Joshua loss, Paul\u2019s jaw recovery, a lengthy list of potential opponents, the Jake-Logan rivalry, and Trump\u2019s own history with combat sports.<\/p>\n My Interview with President Donald Trump <\/p>\n We cover the Iran war, immigration policies, the assassination attempt, life advice, some funny topics, and more.<\/p>\n \u2014 Jake Paul (@jakepaul) March 13, 2026<\/a>\n<\/p>\n Trump Watched the Joshua Fight on Air Force One<\/p>\n The interview opened with the December 19 Netflix heavyweight fight between Paul and former two-time unified champion Anthony Joshua at Kayesa Center in Miami. Trump confirmed he watched the bout aboard Air Force One. \u201cI watched you, and I thought you were very brave,\u201d Trump told Paul. \u201cHe\u2019s a pretty big guy. He\u2019s legitimate. He\u2019s a legitimate fighter. You did yourself no harm \u2014 other than the jaw, which is healing.\u201d<\/p>\n Trump said the entire plane was watching. \u201cWe had a whole plane full of people watching you,\u201d he said. When Paul asked about the size of the screen on Air Force One, Trump offered a typically Trumpian answer: \u201cIt\u2019s good. It\u2019s the best we can have. They view this as cost is no object.\u201d<\/p>\n Paul acknowledged that the size difference hit him harder than expected once the bell rang. He said the scale of Joshua\u2019s physical advantage did not register at the weigh-in or the press conference. \u201cI got in the ring and I just saw his size, and I was like, okay, this is going to be a tough night,\u201d Paul said.<\/p>\n Trump, who has hosted and attended major fights for decades, reflected on the weight disparity throughout the interview. \u201cOne thing I\u2019ve seen in fighting \u2014 if somebody\u2019s like four pounds heavier, it\u2019s a different weight class, and it\u2019s hard to beat somebody that\u2019s even a little bit heavy,\u201d he said. \u201cAnd you were with a guy who was 60, 70 pounds heavier. I\u2019m proud of you.\u201d<\/p>\n The Jaw: Still Healing, Still an Open Question<\/p>\n The fight ended in the sixth round when Joshua dropped Paul with a right hand that left the 29-year-old unable to beat the count. Paul suffered a double jaw fracture requiring immediate surgery, followed by a second corrective procedure in February 2026.<\/p>\n In the interview, Paul provided a vivid account of the injury. He said he did not initially realize his jaw was broken \u2014 his brother Logan noticed it first. \u201cI was talking to him and my teeth were like in the center of my mouth, and he was like, yeah, I think your jaw is broken,\u201d Paul said. \u201cThen I grabbed it.\u201d He told Trump it was the final punch of the fight that did the damage. \u201cThat\u2019s when I went to the floor and was like, whoa.\u201d<\/p>\n Trump asked whether the jaw would heal perfectly. \u201cI think it\u2019ll be able to grow back stronger. Hopefully,\u201d Paul said, adding that he is not cleared to fight until later this year. At the Rousey-Carano press conference<\/a> earlier that week, Paul disclosed that his doctor had said it would be four to five months before he could even spar to test how the bone is healing, potentially pushing a return to late 2026 or early 2027.<\/p>\n No Rematch, No Regrets, No More Heavyweight<\/p>\n When Trump asked who Paul would fight next \u2014 and whether he would consider running it back with Joshua \u2014 the answer was definitive. \u201cNo, I don\u2019t think so,\u201d Paul said. \u201cI think I need to go stay at my weight class.\u201d<\/p>\n But Paul was equally clear that he does not regret taking the fight. Asked by Trump whether he would do it again knowing the outcome, Paul said yes without hesitation. \u201cI don\u2019t have any regrets on it and I love a challenge,\u201d he said. \u201cThe experience of being in the ring with someone that good and someone that big \u2014 moving forward, the next people I fight, it\u2019s going to be a lot easier actually. So I think it was a good experience.\u201d<\/p>\n Trump: From Skeptic to Believer<\/p>\n Trump offered a candid account of how his perception of Paul as a fighter evolved over time. He said that when Paul first began boxing, he did not believe it was possible for what he called \u201ca civilian\u201d to beat professional fighters \u2014 even older ones. \u201cI said, well, is this really happening? Because you were beating guys \u2014 UFC guys who weren\u2019t retired that long \u2014 and I just didn\u2019t think it was possible,\u201d Trump said. \u201cThen I realized you are the real deal. The one problem is this last guy, so big and talented.\u201d<\/p>\n Paul\u2019s professional record stands at 12-2, with wins over Anderson Silva, Nate Diaz, Tyron Woodley, and Mike Tyson. His only losses have come to Tommy Fury by split decision in 2023 and Joshua by sixth-round knockout.<\/p>\n The Next Fight: A Long List of Names<\/p>\n With the heavyweight experiment behind him, Paul rattled off a list of potential opponents that spanned boxing and MMA: Francis Ngannou, Oleksandr Usyk in an MMA crossover, Ryan Garcia, and Tommy Fury. He also referenced his expanding role as a promoter, noting that Most Valuable Promotions is staging Ronda Rousey vs. Gina Carano on Netflix and that he may dabble in MMA competition himself.<\/p>\n When Paul turned the question around \u2014 \u201cWho would you want to see me fight?\u201d \u2014 Trump did not hesitate. \u201cProbably Khabib. How about Khabib?\u201d he said, referring to retired UFC lightweight champion Khabib Nurmagomedov, who walked away from competition in 2020 with a perfect 29-0 record. \u201cI think he\u2019s been just great. When they say who is the best of those \u2014 he was great.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m down,\u201d Paul replied.<\/p>\n The suggestion is a long shot at best. Nurmagomedov has refused every offer to return, including a reported $100 million boxing match with Floyd Mayweather. He now works primarily as a trainer, having coached Islam Makhachev through a historic run as UFC lightweight and welterweight champion.<\/p>\n The more realistic near-term matchup may be Ngannou. The former UFC heavyweight champion is now signed to Paul\u2019s MVP and is scheduled to face Philipe Lins on the Rousey-Carano Netflix card on May 16. At the press conference for that event, Paul and Ngannou exchanged heated words. Paul accused Ngannou of ducking a boxing match before the Joshua fight, while Ngannou fired back that Paul\u2019s disrespect had changed his mind about wanting the fight. Both men were stopped by Joshua \u2014 Ngannou in two rounds in March 2024, Paul in six last December.<\/p>\n Jake vs. Logan: \u201cHe Knows What Would Happen\u201d<\/p>\n Trump steered the conversation toward the perpetual question of a Paul brothers fight. He called Logan Paul \u201ca great guy\u201d and a good fighter, then asked the obvious: who is better?<\/p>\n \u201cI am, sir. I am. Sorry,\u201d Jake said. \u201cHe knows that too. But he\u2019s a better WWE wrestler.\u201d Trump said Logan was his favorite in WWE and suggested the promotion should make him champion. Jake agreed, but when it came to boxing, he left no ambiguity. \u201cIf we fought, I think he knows what would happen. I love you, Logan. But\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n Trump acknowledged the awkwardness. \u201cIt\u2019s hard to smash your brother,\u201d he said. Paul conceded that people want the fight but that neither brother is eager to make it happen. He did, however, call it potentially \u201cone of the biggest fights out there.\u201d<\/p>\n Trump\u2019s Personal Fight History and UFC at the White House<\/p>\n Paul asked Trump whether the president had ever been in a fight himself, referencing a rumored incident involving the late Kobe Bryant at a game. Trump confirmed the story but clarified his role. \u201cIt wasn\u2019t a fight. I was breaking up a fight, which sometimes is more dangerous than being in a fight,\u201d he said. \u201cKobe was having a hard time with somebody, and it worked out fine, but yeah, I broke it up. Probably not a smart thing to do. Historically, it\u2019s never good to break up fights.\u201d<\/p>\n The conversation also touched on the UFC\u2019s planned fight card at the White House on June 14 \u2014 Trump\u2019s 80th birthday \u2014 marking the 250th anniversary of the United States. Trump praised UFC president Dana White and said the card would feature top-level talent. \u201cHe had the idea of staging it right at the front door of the White House,\u201d Trump said. \u201cHe\u2019s got a tremendous card. They want to fight at the White House.\u201d<\/p>\n Beyond the Ring: Paul Eyes Politics<\/p>\n The interview extended well beyond combat sports. Paul signaled interest in a political career, telling Trump, \u201cI think so,\u201d when asked whether he would run for office. Trump had already made the case publicly at the rally, offering what he called his \u201ccomplete and total endorsement.\u201d<\/p>\n Paul pressed Trump on how the president transitioned from real estate and entertainment into politics. Trump described the decision as driven by a ticking clock, crediting First Lady Melania Trump with pushing him to act. The conversation also covered the U.S. military campaign in Iran, career advice for young Americans \u2014 with AI jobs at the top of Trump\u2019s list \u2014 and the role podcasters and influencers played in the 2024 campaign, including Trump\u2019s appearance on The Joe Rogan Experience<\/a>.<\/p>\n