In a surprising twist ahead of one of boxing's most anticipated events, British heavyweight contender Lawrence Okolie has extended an offer to help train Jake Paul for his showdown with Anthony Joshua.
The Stunning Christmas Showdown
The boxing world was left reeling when news broke that YouTube sensation turned professional boxer Jake Paul would face two-time heavyweight world champion Anthony Joshua. The fight is scheduled for December 19 at the Kaseya Center in Miami, creating what many are calling the most unexpected match-up of the year.
This extraordinary development came about after Paul's planned fight against Gervonta Davis collapsed following serious allegations against Davis. Determined to stay active, the 28-year-old American issued several call-outs, with Joshua surprisingly answering the challenge.
The bout will be contested over eight three-minute rounds, with both fighters required to wear 10oz gloves. In a significant stipulation, Joshua has been instructed he cannot exceed 245lbs for the contest, potentially neutralizing some of his physical advantages.
An Unexpected Training Offer
Lawrence Okolie, a top heavyweight contender himself, has thrown a fascinating curveball into preparations by offering his services to help Paul get ready for the biggest challenge of his boxing career. The 32-year-old Londoner, who shares history with both camps, made his surprising proposition public on Tuesday morning.
"It's crazy. I want to go help Jake Paul, give him a chance. I want to go out there to Puerto Rico," Okolie told reporters. "What I don't want to happen for him is he gets absolutely destroyed in a round or whatever if AJ turns it on. I want him to have a little feeling of what it's like to be in there with a world class heavyweight beforehand."
Okolie brings unique insight to the table, having sparred with Joshua multiple times, including sessions as recent as 2025. While acknowledging the vast difference in size and skill between Paul and Joshua, the Brit insisted "crazier things have happened" in boxing.
History and Credibility
This isn't the first time Okolie has worked with the social media star turned boxer. The pair trained together three years ago in Dubai, after which Okolie made the surprising declaration that Paul was 'better than most boxers' he had encountered.
Paul's boxing journey since his 2020 professional debut has been met with widespread criticism, though he has steadily built a record facing former UFC fighters including Nate Diaz, Anderson Silva, and Tyron Woodley. His most notable victory came last November when he defeated the legendary Mike Tyson in a controversial heavyweight bout.
Despite Okolie's generous offer, his own schedule presents complications. The Brit has a fight booked in Nigeria on the same night as Paul's clash with Joshua, and he's currently training in Dubai ahead of his return to the ring. Still, he's willing to dedicate a couple of weeks to help Paul prepare.
"I know I have a fight coming up, but I'll go out for a couple of weeks," Okolie explained. "I want to know what is it that's allowed Jake Paul to say to himself, I'm going to get in there with a 250lb muscle man from England, this big guy, Olympic gold, former heavyweight world champion, two-time in front of millions of fans on Netflix. I need to know. Maybe he's got a secret that I don't know."
While nothing has been confirmed regarding this potential training partnership, Okolie's motivation appears genuine – he doesn't want to see the 28-year-old Paul suffer severe damage in what represents arguably his toughest challenge yet.
The Joshua vs Paul fight will be streamed live on Netflix, with walk-outs expected around 11pm Miami time (4am UK time) on December 19, just six days before Christmas.
