Jake Paul vs. Josh Hokit? UFC Heavyweight Challenges Boxer After NFL Claim
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Jake Paul’s claim that no NFL player could survive two rounds in a professional boxing ring has drawn a response from someone unusually qualified to challenge it: undefeated UFC heavyweight and former San Francisco 49ers practice-squad fullback Josh Hokit.
What began as another bold Jake Paul sports debate has quickly produced one of combat sports’ more entertaining hypothetical matchups.
During an appearance on The Pivot Podcast, Paul argued that boxing is considerably more difficult than professional football. He later claimed on social media that “not a single NFL player” could last two rounds in a professional boxing ring while suggesting that he could catch a touchdown pass in the NFL without completing any football-specific training. MMA Fighting documented the exchange.
Hokit, who spent time with the 49ers before beginning his undefeated mixed martial arts career, disagreed.
“With all due respect,” Hokit wrote in response to Paul, “not only could I beat you in a boxing match, I’d beat you in any sport under the sun.”
Paul did not ignore the challenge.
“I see your hustle,” Paul responded. “You do your best to sell. If you want to fly down to Puerto Rico and box—anytime I will gladly embarrass you.”
The exchange did not include a signed contract, confirmed event, weight limit or number of rounds. For now, this is social-media trash talk rather than an official fight announcement. However, the backgrounds of both athletes make the argument more interesting than the average crossover callout.
Josh Hokit Is Not a Typical Football Player-Turned-Fighter
Hokit may be one of the best possible athletes to test Paul’s argument because he has already competed at a high level in football, wrestling and professional fighting.
At Fresno State, Hokit played in 51 football games while also competing as a collegiate wrestler. He recorded 1,260 rushing yards and 17 rushing touchdowns for the Bulldogs and completed his wrestling career with a 60-20 record. The National Wrestling Coaches Association named him a second-team All-American in 2020, according to Fresno State Athletics.
Hokit later signed with the San Francisco 49ers as a fullback and spent time on the team’s practice squad. The organization included him among its official 2020 practice-squad signings and again when it announced its 2021 practice squad.
His transition into mixed martial arts has been even more successful.
The UFC’s official profile for Hokit lists him at 10-0, with six knockout or technical-knockout victories, three submissions and one decision. His latest victory came against Derrick Lewis, whom Hokit stopped with strikes in the second round at UFC Freedom 250 on June 14.
That background does not automatically make Hokit an accomplished boxer. Wrestling, football and MMA each require different movement, timing and defensive habits. Still, he is not simply a large former football player walking into a boxing gym for the first time.
He is an undefeated professional fighter with heavyweight power, extensive grappling experience and years of high-level athletic competition.
Jake Paul Would Still Have the Boxing Advantage
It has become easy to dismiss Paul because of his celebrity background, but doing so would ignore the boxing experience he has accumulated since turning professional.
BoxRec lists Paul with a 12-2 professional record, seven knockout victories and 76 completed rounds across 14 fights. He is listed at 6-foot-1 with a 76-inch reach.
Paul’s record includes victories over former UFC champions Anderson Silva and Tyron Woodley, former UFC star Nate Diaz, Mike Perry and former WBC middleweight champion Julio César Chávez Jr. His two defeats came against Tommy Fury and former unified heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua.
That experience would matter against Hokit.
Boxing is not simply about punching power or toughness. Paul has spent years developing boxing-specific footwork, distance management, defensive reactions and the ability to pace himself while wearing boxing gloves. Hokit’s striking success inside the UFC does not guarantee that his approach would immediately translate into a traditional boxing ring.
Under professional boxing rules, Paul should enter as the more polished and experienced boxer.
Hokit, however, would bring the type of physical pressure that could make the matchup uncomfortable. He is a compact UFC heavyweight accustomed to collisions, clinch exchanges and competing against opponents capable of ending a fight with one strike. If he could pressure Paul, work inside and prevent him from establishing a comfortable rhythm, the fight could become more competitive than Paul’s response suggested.
Could Josh Hokit Last Two Rounds Against Jake Paul?
Almost certainly.
Paul’s original statement works as promotional material, but it does not survive a literal examination of football and boxing history.
Former Baltimore Ravens safety Tom Zbikowski began boxing as a child and compiled a 60-13 amateur record before reaching 4-0 as a professional, according to NFL.com. Former NFL running back Frank Gore also won his professional boxing debut with a fourth-round knockout in 2022. NFL.com covered Gore’s victory.
Those examples do not prove that any NFL player could defeat Paul, but they clearly disprove the idea that no NFL athlete could survive two professional rounds.
Hokit may not possess Zbikowski’s traditional boxing background, but he has already competed well beyond two rounds against UFC heavyweights. According to UFC Stats, Hokit landed 177 significant strikes during his three-round decision victory over Curtis Blaydes.
Surviving two boxing rounds and defeating Paul are also two very different questions.
Hokit’s toughness, conditioning and fighting experience make it difficult to believe he would immediately collapse. Beating Paul over six, eight or ten rounds would require him to demonstrate boxing technique that has not yet been tested publicly at the professional level.
Who Would Win Jake Paul vs. Josh Hokit?
In a sanctioned boxing match, Paul would deserve to be the early favorite.
He has completed 76 professional rounds and has repeatedly prepared for athletes crossing over from mixed martial arts. His clearest route to victory would involve controlling the distance with his jab, moving laterally and forcing Hokit to follow him around the ring.
Hokit’s opportunity would come from making the contest physical and uncomfortable. He would need to close the distance, attack Paul’s body and prevent the more experienced boxer from settling into a predictable rhythm.
The prediction changes dramatically under other rulesets.
Hokit would be strongly favored in MMA or wrestling. He would also hold the obvious advantage in a football competition because he played 51 collegiate games and earned NFL practice-squad contracts.
Paul’s boxing experience is real. So is Hokit’s argument that he is the more proven all-around competitive athlete.
“Any sport under the sun” may be an exaggeration, but that is part of what makes the challenge fun.
Is Jake Paul vs. Josh Hokit Actually Likely?
The fight currently appears unlikely, but it is not impossible.
Paul’s invitation was informal, and no promoter, athletic commission or broadcaster has announced negotiations. Hokit is also an active UFC heavyweight whose immediate opportunities include continuing his climb through the division.
Because Hokit remains under UFC contract, an outside professional boxing appearance would likely require approval from the promotion. Conor McGregor’s 2017 boxing match against Floyd Mayweather remains the most prominent example of the UFC participating in a crossover agreement involving one of its contracted fighters. ESPN previously reported on the UFC’s control over McGregor’s participation.
A filmed sparring session in Puerto Rico may be more realistic than an immediate professional fight. It would allow the athletes to test their claims while generating considerable attention without requiring promoters to build an entire sanctioned event.
Still, crossover fights have repeatedly moved from unrealistic online arguments to major broadcasts. Paul has built much of his boxing career around identifying debates that audiences want settled inside a ring.
Hokit may have just handed him another one.
Paul should be favored in boxing. Hokit should be favored in MMA, wrestling and football. Whether either man is prepared to prove those claims is now the question keeping the exchange alive.
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