Anxiety over Jake Paul's upcoming bout with Anthony Joshua has escalated dramatically after the British heavyweight unveiled a fearsomely ripped physique just weeks before their multi-million-pound showdown.
The Stakes Could Not Be Higher
The unlikely opponents are set to go head-to-head at the Kaseya Center in Miami on December 19, with a colossal prize pot of £140million to be split evenly between them. The professionally sanctioned contest will consist of eight three-minute rounds, should it go the distance, though few in the boxing world expect it to last that long.
Promoter Eddie Hearn has placed immense pressure on his fighter, sensationally admitting that both he and Anthony Joshua would have "no choice but to retire" if the Brit fails to 'obliterate' his social media star opponent. Hearn has also issued a stark warning to Paul, suggesting he could "get seriously hurt" against the taller, heavier Joshua, who boasts a reach advantage of around six inches.
A Menacing Message from AJ
Fears for the 28-year-old Paul's welfare were compounded over the weekend when Joshua took to social media platform X to promote the fight. He posted photos flexing his formidable muscles alongside the ominous caption, 'There is no tomorrow'.
The reaction from fans was swift and pointed. "Please don't sell out. Knock this guy out. Sure he might be able to box a bit, but there's levels to this game," wrote one commenter. Another added, "The intensity in that look says it all. December 19th can't come soon enough!"
Some focused on Paul's no-win situation, with one user stating: "It's lose lose for Jake. If he wins it confirms the rigged theories. If he loses, well he loses. The best case scenario is for him to lose but put up a great fight."
Weight Concerns and Scathing Criticism
Anthony Joshua has weighed more than 250lbs in his last five fights and is reportedly working to drop around 20lbs to meet the 245lbs weight limit for this contest. Hearn has expressed confidence his boxer will make the weight, despite Joshua not being accustomed to cutting pounds as a natural heavyweight.
Joshua hasn't fought since his knockout loss to Daniel Dubois in September 2024. For his high-stakes return, he has adjusted his training setup, now working with the team behind two-time unified champion Oleksandr Usyk – the man who beat him on points in 2021 and 2022.
This move has drawn criticism, notably from British heavyweight Dillian Whyte, who has faced AJ twice. Whyte delivered a scathing verdict, claiming Joshua is "lost" and "wandering".
"He seems lost at the moment," Whyte said. "He's over here training with one guy and then next he's over there training with Usyk's team... You don't go training with Usyk's trainer because you lost to Usyk. You have to find what works best for you."
Whyte pinpointed a lack of confidence as Joshua's core issue, stating: "If you're not confident, there is no point going into the fight. I am always confident, I always believe in myself but sometimes you need extreme confidence and AJ doesn't have that at the moment."
With the fight rapidly approaching, the physical disparity highlighted by Joshua's latest photos and the psychological doubts raised by his peers have combined to create a perilous outlook for Jake Paul's venture into the ring with a former world champion.
