Jake Paul will fight Anthony Joshua on December 19 as their momentous bout is confirmed and the YouTuber-turned-boxer leaked some messages exchanged between the pair this summer
Jake Paul has already engaged in a back-and-forth with Anthony Joshua ahead of their blockbuster fight being announced. Paul and Joshua will do battle on a card labelled Judgement Day next month.
Paul, who only turned professional five years ago, was due to fight lightweight champion Gervonta Davis this month in an exhibition but the fight was canceled. The 28-year-old has wasted no time when it comes to announcing his next opponent.
The American will take on two-time unified WBO, WBA and IBF heavyweight world champion Joshua on December 19 in a fight that will be streamed on Netflix. Both have already shared some interactions ahead of the clash, namely a text message exchange earlier this year which Paul disclosed.
“He [Joshua] DM’d me today like saying ‘LOL’ to one of my training clips and then I sent him a ‘LOL’ with a picture of him getting knocked out by Daniel Dubois,” said Paul in June.
“And so I guess like we’re kind of s*** talking, behind the scenes a bit. But I have a lot of love for Anthony Joshua. I think this type of stuff is funny and he’s a great guy.”
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Both fighters are bullish ahead of what promises to be an interesting bout, with Paul claiming he’ll put Joshua to sleep. Paul said: “This isn’t an AI simulation. This is Judgment Day.
“A professional heavyweight fight against an elite world champion in his prime. When I beat Anthony Joshua, every doubt disappears, and no one can deny me the opportunity to fight for a world title.
“To all my haters, this is what you wanted. To the people of the United Kingdom, I am sorry. On Friday, December 19, under the lights in Miami, live globally only on Netflix, the torch gets passed and Britain’s Goliath gets put to sleep.”
Joshua is equally as confident. The last time the Brit took on an opponent who did not have a long history in the ring, he brutally knocked out former UFC champion Francis Ngannou in Saudi Arabia.
“Jake or anyone can get this work. No mercy,” said AJ. “I took some time out and I’m coming back with a mega show. It’s a big opportunity for me.
“Whether you like it or not, I’m here to do massive numbers, have big fights and break every record whilst keeping cool, calm and collected. Mark my words, you’ll see a lot more fighters take these opportunities in the future. I’m about to break the internet over Jake Paul’s face.”
Joshua stands at 6ft 6in and weighs a usual 18 stone. This is a whopping four stone heavier than Paul, who fights typically at 14st 4lb. Paul is also five inches shorter. Nakisa Bidarian, who founded the promotion company MVP with Paul, is equally as optimistic as his peer, despite the massive difference in height and weight.
“Everyone laughed when Jake Paul said in March that he wanted to fight AJ in 2026,” said Bidarian, “Well, plans changed, and in under two weeks, MVP and Netflix have made one of the biggest fights of all time.
“Now, as only Jake Paul could and would do, he’s fighting one of the most fearsome boxers in the world. Joshua has every advantage in this fight, except one – the delusional confidence of Jake Paul, and if anyone can shock the world, it’s him.
“This is a global clash between two of the most recognizable figures in the sport, Jake, the face of boxing‘s new era, and Joshua, the King of UK boxing.”
