Anthony Joshua has already faced and defeated one member of the Paul family.
‘AJ’ is set to return to the boxing ring in less than a month, marking his first fight since his tough loss at Wembley Stadium over 14 months ago. Following Joshua’s devastating defeat to Daniel Dubois, the former two-time unified world champion shifted his focus to a very different kind of bout.
Joshua will now fight Jake Paul in the headline event on December 19th in Miami, stepping in for Gervonta Davis, who was removed from the Netflix exhibition due to domestic violence accusations. This fight is expected to stir controversy, given Jake Paul’s polarizing boxing career after transitioning from YouTube. Even so, Joshua is no stranger to crossover boxing matches.
Jake Paul is recognized as a key figure who sparked the celebrity and YouTube boxing trend, which also featured his younger brother Logan Paul and their major rival KSI. Although the much-talked-about fight between Jake and KSI never happened, KSI has squared off with Logan twice. They initially fought to a majority draw in an amateur match in 2018, followed by a KSI win in their pro rematch the next year. Currently preparing for a second fight against Logan, KSI revealed that Joshua has been giving him guidance.
“[Joshua] advised me to train hard, stay focused, and remain calm,” KSI shared with Behind the Gloves about his preparation with AJ. “I was calm and relaxed even while training in public. Sure, there was some shouting, but I stayed collected. I know what I need to do. I’m completely zen and ready.”
Logan Paul expressed concern when he first heard about Jake’s plan to fight Joshua earlier this year. In a YouTube video, Logan questioned his brother: “Were you on cocaine when you called Anthony Joshua? Why did you do that?” Despite Jake’s strategy to capitalize on Joshua’s reportedly weakened jaw to advance his ambitions, Logan remained skeptical, reminding him, “But he’s still Anthony Joshua.” He added, “Are you really going to fight him? Congrats on making a lot of money and being super rich.”
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Fan Take: This fight is a significant moment for boxing fans because it pits a traditional heavyweight champion against a breakout star from the social media world, highlighting the evolving landscape of the sport. How Joshua handles the unique challenge of Jake Paul could influence both crossover boxing’s future and its legitimacy within the sport.
