British boxing superstar Anthony Joshua has issued a chilling warning to YouTube sensation Jake Paul, vowing to 'break the internet over Jake Paul's face' when the pair meet in a professional contest this December.
The Fight Contract and Stipulations
The highly anticipated bout is scheduled for Friday, December 19 at the Kaseya Center in Miami. The fighters have agreed to a format of eight three-minute rounds using regulation 10oz gloves. A significant stipulation has been placed on Joshua, who must adhere to a weight limit of 245lbs. This is notable as the Briton has weighed 250lbs or more in each of his last five professional fights.
Despite the weight restriction, the odds appear heavily stacked in favour of the former two-time unified world heavyweight champion. Joshua boasts a formidable record of 28 wins, with 25 coming by way of knockout, against just 4 losses.
A Clash of Careers and Credibility
This fight represents a dramatic divergence in career paths. Jake Paul, who first found fame through a YouTube channel with over 20 million subscribers, has a 13-fight professional record built mainly against former UFC stars or ageing boxing legends.
His only previous foray into the heavyweight division was a points victory over a 58-year-old Mike Tyson twelve months ago, an event which became the most-streamed sporting event ever with 65 million concurrent viewers on Netflix.
The announcement of the Joshua-Paul fight was met with criticism from some boxing purists on social media. Joshua, however, remains unrepentant. The fight serves as his comeback after a devastating fifth-round knockout loss to compatriot Daniel Dubois at Wembley Stadium in September last year.
'Mark my words, you'll see a lot more fighters take these opportunities in the future,' Joshua stated. 'I'm about to break the internet over Jake Paul's face. Jake or anyone can get this work. No mercy.'
High Stakes and Future Ambitions
For Joshua, this is more than just a payday. 'It's a big opportunity for me,' he said. '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.'
His future looks busy, with boxing kingpin Turki Alalshikh hinting that Joshua is slated to fight in Saudi Arabia in February, potentially setting the stage for a long-desired bout against British rival Tyson Fury next September.
For Jake Paul, this is by far his toughest test. Joshua stands five inches taller and is expected to have a significant weight advantage. Paul's only professional defeat came against Tommy Fury, Tyson's brother, in February 2023.
Paul is embracing the underdog role, declaring: 'This isn't an AI simulation. This is Judgment Day. A professional heavyweight fight against an elite world champion in his prime.' He boldly claims that a victory will silence his critics and earn him a world title shot, adding, 'To the people of the United Kingdom, I am sorry. On Friday, December 19... the torch gets passed and Britain's Goliath gets put to sleep.'
The event will be streamed globally on Netflix, with both fighters expected to earn tens of millions of dollars from the blockbuster showdown.
