Akin Ayomide
Youtuber-turned-boxer Jake Paul is backing “delusional optimism” to carry him to an upset over British former world heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua when the two men clash in a made-for-streaming event in Miami next month.
Paul, 28, who defeated a 58-year-old Mike Tyson in a heavily criticised fight screened on Netflix in 2024, will take on a vastly younger opponent when he faces the 36-year-old Joshua in an eight-round heavyweight bout on December 19 in Florida.
The fight, which will reportedly see both men divide a massive $184 million purse, has once again raised safety concerns across boxing, with the 6ft 1in Paul going up against the hard-hitting 6ft 6in Joshua, the 2012 Olympic champion and two-time unified heavyweight champion.
Former world champion David Haye warned earlier this week the fight could be Paul’s “last day on earth”. The British Boxing Board of Control meanwhile has said it would not have sanctioned the fight on safety grounds.
Paul, whose limited ring record includes 12 wins and one defeat, with seven knockouts, will be at a sizeable, height, weight and reach disadvantage against Joshua, who has 25 knockouts amongst his 28 career wins, with only four defeats.
However the trash-talking American was adamant on Friday that he has the tools to stop Joshua as the two men faced off in a promotional event for next month’s Netflix special.