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Anthony Joshua will face Jake Paul on Saturday night as the latest opponent in the spectacle the YouTuber-turned-boxer has crafted in the sport.
Joshua has every advantage for the fight. He has the experience, height, weight and reach of Paul. The British superstar has victories over Wladimir Klitschko, Andy Ruiz Jr. and Francis Ngannou during his career, while Paul has victories over Mike Tyson, Nate Diaz and Julio Cesar Chavez Jr.
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Anthony Joshua stands on stage during a showdown against Jake Paul during a press conference promoting their upcoming heavyweight boxing match, Wednesday, Dec. 17, 2025, in Miami Beach, Florida. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky)
These key statistics explain why a Joshua loss to Paul would be “an absolute disaster and terribly embarrassing”, according to boxing promoter Eddie Hearn.
Hearn expressed his opinion on the fight in a BBC column. He said it was “crazy” for Joshua to face Paul, but acknowledged it was part of a strategy to revitalize the two-time world heavyweight champion and Olympic gold medalist’s career.
“AJ will fight a world-class opponent in February and – if all goes well – he will face Tyson Fury next,” Hearn wrote.
“So there is a method to this madness and making this fight (against Paul) doesn’t affect AJ’s legacy. But losing to Jake or even going the distance would. It would be an absolute disaster and terribly embarrassing.”
Hearn also clarified that the fight was not scripted.
Jake Paul, left, and Anthony Joshua face off during a press conference promoting their upcoming heavyweight boxing match, Wednesday, Dec. 17, 2025, in Miami Beach, Florida. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky)
DEONTAY WILDER, NEARLY 40, SAYS HE ‘LEFT’ TO FIGHT JAKE PAUL BECAUSE HE HAS ’10 YEARS LEFT’ OF CAREER
“First, if this were the case, we would be under investigation by the FBI,” he wrote. “It would be illegal. This is a professional competition and a sanctioned fight that people bet on.
“And do you think I would ever allow AJ to have a storyline with Jake? A storyline where we could lose him or even retain him and have a bad image? No way. We’re not giving this guy an advantage or a chance to say, ‘I told you I was better than AJ’ or ‘I won rounds.’ It would be catastrophic for AJ and we will not take that risk.”
This will be the biggest challenge of Paul’s career so far. He only has one blemish on his record in a defeat against Tommy Fury.
“When I knock out Anthony Joshua and I win, I’m the face and the king of boxing, and people are definitely not going to be able to say anything. It’s silence everywhere,” Paul told PK Press Club Digital earlier this month. “So they think they have me in the corner, but it’s really the world that’s stuck, and that’s exactly where I want them to be.
Jake Paul and Anthony Joshua promote their upcoming heavyweight boxing match on Wednesday, December 17, 2025, in Miami Beach, Florida. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky)
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“I know that God is on my side and I have faith in that. He has always guided me in everything that I have done in my boxing career and in my life. And so I can walk into that ring with extreme confidence, knowing that this is the right time for me.”
