Anthony Joshua warns Jake Paul ahead of Miami fight
Anthony Joshua has delivered a stark warning to Jake Paul ahead of their Miami showdown, declaring with absolute certainty that the contest will end prematurely, reports BritPanorama.
The former two-time unified heavyweight champion told ESPN: “There’s zero chance this fight goes the distance. It might go one round. It might go two rounds, but he won’t see the final bell.”
The Watford-born fighter views anything short of a knockout as a personal failure. “It’s a win-win situation for Jake Paul because he’s in there with me and he could come back stronger even in defeat,” Joshua explained. “But the only way it’s a win-win for me is if I get the knockout.”
Joshua, at 36, brings vastly superior credentials to the Kaseya Center, having claimed Olympic gold at London 2012 before embarking on a professional career that has seen him contest 32 bouts. The British heavyweight boasts 28 victories, with an impressive 25 coming by way of stoppage, though he has suffered defeats to Andy Ruiz, Oleksandr Usyk twice, and Daniel Dubois. Paul, eight years Joshua’s junior, only entered the professional ranks in January 2020, with a record of 12 wins against a solitary loss to Tommy Fury in February 2023.
Crucially, Joshua possesses advantages in both height and natural weight, while Paul has faced just five professional boxers throughout his brief career. Joshua has moved swiftly to quash suggestions that contractual obligations might prevent him from unleashing his full arsenal against the social media personality. “I don’t know how to take it easy on an opponent. I just can’t do that,” he stated firmly.
“With this fight, I know I’m going in there to box and hurt. It has nothing to do with a contract; it’s just my mood,” Joshua declared. Addressing conspiracy theories directly, he added: “There is nothing to say what I can and can’t do. My mood is to go in there, box, outclass, outshine and hurt my opponent no matter who it is.” Such rumours had gained traction among a minority of fight fans questioning the bout’s legitimacy, with former heavyweight champion Bermane Stiverne alleging the fight was cancelled after Paul suffered a black eye in training, although there has been no official confirmation from either camp.
The heavyweight clash takes place on Friday, December 19th at Miami’s Kaseya Center, with Netflix streaming the action live. Both fighters will don 10oz gloves for eight three-minute rounds, with Joshua agreeing to a weight limit of 245 pounds. British viewers should anticipate a late night, with ring walks expected around 4am UK time. The bout carries full professional status, meaning the result will appear on both men’s official records.
While Joshua predicts a swift conclusion within the opening rounds, Paul offers a contrasting forecast, suggesting he will tire the Briton before stopping him in either the fifth or sixth round. The American remains defiant despite being listed as a 9/1 underdog with bookmakers, indicating the undercurrents of tension that continue to surround this celebrity-driven bout.
