YouTuber-turned-boxer Jake Paul predicts big win over 2-time heavyweight champ Anthony Joshua

MIAMI (AP) — Jake Paul is recklessly expecting his brand to remain untouched by his latest boxing venture.

In fact, the YouTuber-turned-boxer expects his brand to thrive and predicts that the outcome of his upcoming fight against recent world heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua will rival Buster Douglas’ knockout victory over Mike Tyson in earth-shattering proportions.

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Paul even predicts that the fight will end in a fifth-round knockout victory.

Those are brash words indeed, considering Paul won’t be facing a long-retired champion, a former UFC belt holder, former NBA players or a fighter dropping 50 pounds.

Many in the boxing world are wondering why the Paul-Joshua match scheduled for December 19 at the Kaseya Center in Miami was organized. Paul and two-time heavyweight champion Joshua reunited on Friday to officially announce the planned eight-round fight which will be streamed on Netflix.

“I’m here to go out there and shock the world,” Paul said. “I know what I’m capable of. People say, ‘Oh, he’s crazy.’ I got to where I am today through delusional optimism. No one thinks I’m going to win, so join the list and be prepared to be shocked.

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Paul is 12-1 five years into his boxing career. His fight schedule is highlighted by an eight-round decision over Tyson, 58, in an event that drew 72,300 people to AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas. Paul, 28, also has victories over Julio Cesar Chavez Jr., as well as retired UFC fighters Anderson Silva and Nate Díaz. In his second fight, Paul stopped former NBA player Nate Robinson in two rounds.

But Joshua offers a much different – ​​and imposing – challenge. It’s true that Joshua’s aura of invincibility has diminished after back-to-back long-distance defeats to reigning heavyweight champion Oleksandr Usyk in 2021 and 2022, and during a fifth-round knockout defeat to fellow Englishman Daniel Dubois last year.

But Joshua (28-4, 25 KOs) has the striking arsenal that translates into knockout victories. How Paul, who has fought primarily in the 200-pound cruiserweight class in the majority of his fights, escapes the shot that shatters his dream will be the narrative leading into the fight.

“He’s one of the best heavyweights of all time,” Paul said. “But I believe fighting a smaller man is often more difficult for a heavyweight because of the difference in speed and foot speed, because of the angles. All that power is great. I just have to avoid that one shot. I believe I can do it. I know I can separate him and score points.”

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This will be Joshua’s first fight since losing to Dubois in September 2024. During his ring break, Joshua, 36, also underwent elbow surgery.

“You can’t underestimate anyone. I’m going to take it seriously,” Joshua said. “After a year of absence, I reorganized my life a lot. I got my focus back where it should be.”

Joshua acknowledged that anything short of a quick knockout victory will be seen as further erosion of his position among the elite heavyweights.

“I saw it. I heard it,” Joshua said. “As I respectfully told Jake, I have to cut him up. I have to break him and I have to hurt him. That’s exactly what we’re doing.”

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Paul was originally scheduled to face lightweight champion Gervonta Davis in an exhibition on November 14 at the Kaseya Center. But the event was canceled after a civil lawsuit filed against Davis by a former girlfriend included charges of aggravated battery, false imprisonment and kidnapping.

“Joshua was always in the plans after Gervonta,” Paul said. “We just started talking to people in his camp.”

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