Jake Paul is projecting an aura of supreme self-belief ahead of his monumental professional boxing clash with former two-time unified heavyweight world champion Anthony Joshua. That is the verdict of body language expert Bruce Durham, who has dissected the pair's recent face-off ahead of their December 19 showdown in Miami, Florida.
From Davis to Joshua: A Stunning Turn of Events
The fight, which will be streamed live globally on Netflix, represents a dramatic shift for Paul. The YouTuber-turned-boxer was originally scheduled to face lightweight star Gervonta Davis earlier in November, but that bout was cancelled after Davis faced serious legal allegations. Keen to stay active, Paul issued challenges for a December fight, and it was the heavyweight titan Anthony Joshua who accepted.
Despite the vast experience and size disparity, Paul appeared notably confident during the launch press conference, where the two men went nose-to-nose just days after the bout was confirmed. Durham, analysing the footage on his YouTube channel, pointed to specific non-verbal cues that reveal Paul's mindset.
Decoding the 'Problem Child's' Signals
"If you're into predictions, and you're a betting person, you need to be paying attention to what Jake Paul does," Durham stated. He highlighted a moment where Paul discussed his foot speed. "What you see him doing is a little rub of the knee, and a little 'self-soothe'. If you ever see a self-soothe, that is that person telling themselves 'it's okay, we've got this here.'"
Durham explained that such gestures are controlled by the limbic system and are genuine indicators of a person's internal state. "He is hoping that the footwork that he's got will be too much for Anthony Joshua," the expert concluded.
Irritation as a Sign of Self-Belief
Another telling moment came when Joshua outlined his plans for 2026, a move that could be interpreted as looking past Paul. Durham observed that Paul's reaction was one of clear irritation. "I love the fact that he is irritated, like 'how dare you even think to bypass me...' That's not fear, that's a genuine irritation in his self-belief," he said.
This irritation, according to Durham, is a powerful positive sign for Paul's readiness. "He is irritated at just hearing that they're already planning AJ's next fight. I think that's absolutely fantastic. I just think we're going to get a fantastic version of Jake Paul... For me, confidence breeds performance, and that's what we've got with Jake Paul here."
Fight Night Details for UK Fans
The highly anticipated bout is set for December 19 at the AT&T Stadium in Miami. The main event ring walks are expected at approximately 11pm local time, which is 4am UK time on December 20. These timings are subject to change based on the undercard duration. The entire event will be available to stream live on Netflix, with UK fans able to access the platform through offers like Sky's Essential TV bundle.
Whether Paul's confident body language translates into a historic upset remains to be seen, but experts suggest the social media star is mentally primed for the challenge of a lifetime against one of boxing's most decorated heavyweights.
