Bizarre Stunt Planned for Boxing's Biggest Face-Off
Jake Paul had prepared an extraordinary and frankly bizarre stunt for his first face-to-face meeting with Anthony Joshua, which could have dramatically altered the tone of their pre-fight press conference. According to revelations from Most Valuable Promotions co-founder Nakisa Bidarian, the YouTube sensation turned professional boxer intended to 'motorboat' the former world champion during their intense stare-down.
The confrontation, which took place last week in Miami, saw the two fighters go nose-to-nose ahead of their scheduled eight-round heavyweight contest on December 19 at the Kaseya Center in Miami, Florida. However, the scene nearly descended into chaos as Paul seriously contemplated executing his unusual plan.
The Moment of Truth
"If you notice at the start of the face-off, Jake is looking down at his chest," Bidarian explained in conversation with Ariel Helwani. "Jake had said to me that he was going to 'motorboat' him. I said, 'Jake, I'm not sure that makes a lot of sense, man. This is a pretty intense situation, but up to you, you obviously make your own call.'"
In a moment of last-second reconsideration, Paul decided against the provocative act. Bidarian believes the fighter probably thought, "Let me just look up versus doing this," opting for a more conventional, intense stare-down instead.
The promoter also provided fascinating insight into the dynamic between the two athletes, noting the significant size difference between the 6'6" Joshua and the approximately 6'1" Paul. Despite the physical disparity, both men maintained remarkable composure during the twenty-second standoff.
"Neither of them blinked once, which is pretty impressive to do for like a 20-second time period with that much concentration eye-to-eye," Bidarian observed. "Then when they faced forward, first Jake was looking at him and when Jake looked away Joshua glanced at him. So there was a lot of amazing energy."
Fighters Vow Violence in Christmas Showdown
During the press conference, both combatants made their intentions brutally clear, setting the stage for what promises to be a violent encounter just six days before Christmas.
Paul, who hasn't fought since his victory over boxing veteran Julio Cesar Chavez Jr back in June, delivered a stark warning to his heavily favoured opponent. "No one ever thought that this would be possible, that we would be here when I first started boxing," he declared. "No one thinks I'm going to win so join the list and be ready to be shocked."
The social media star turned professional fighter predicted a knockout victory, stating "I think it will be a fourth or fifth-round knockout" and emphasising his absolute commitment with the chilling words: "I'm ready to die to win this fight."
Joshua, coming off a knockout defeat to Daniel Dubois in September 2024, responded with equally forceful language, making it clear that anything less than a devastating victory would be unacceptable.
"It's not a win for me if I just beat him; I need to knock him out," Joshua stated unequivocally. "I'm going to break his face and break his body. I'm here to prove I'm the better fighter and will do that until I stop fighting."
The British boxing icon detailed his strategy, promising to "come forward and impose myself" and to "land heavy punches and expose him to certain tricks in boxing that he maybe hasn't seen yet." Joshua vowed to bring Paul to "a different school of boxing" that the relative newcomer hasn't previously encountered.
Fight Details and Broadcasting
The highly anticipated heavyweight contest will be contested over eight three-minute rounds with both fighters wearing 10oz gloves. Crucially, regardless of the outcome, the result will count on both men's professional records, adding significant stakes to what some have dismissed as a spectacle.
The event is scheduled for December 19 at the Kaseya Center in Miami, with the main event walk-outs expected around 11pm local time (4am UK time). In a landmark move for combat sports broadcasting, the fight will be streamed live on Netflix, potentially reaching a global audience far beyond traditional boxing viewership.
Bidarian expressed confidence that the unique matchup would deliver record-breaking viewership, telling Helwani: "I think it's going to be another record-breaking night come December 19 in terms of viewership."
As fight night approaches, the revelation of Paul's nearly-executed motorboat stunt adds another layer of unpredictability to what is already one of the most discussed boxing events of the year.
