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Joshua dismisses Fury’s £1m bet for Paul fight
British boxer Anthony Joshua has stated his intention to “stomp all over” Jake Paul and “break” the American internet personality as the two met face-to-face to promote their upcoming heavyweight bout.
Joshua, a former two-time unified heavyweight champion, is slated to face Paul, a YouTuber-turned-boxer, in a match being viewed by many as a significant mismatch, at Miami’s Kaseya Center on December 19.
“I’m going to break his face and break his body up. I’m here to prove I’m the better fighter,” said Joshua, 35.
“I’ll stomp all over him. That’s a fighter’s mentality.
“I’m going to really want to hurt him. That’s what I want to do.”
Despite the strong words, Joshua and Paul, who is typically known for his flamboyant persona, maintained a relaxed and respectful demeanor during their encounter.
Paul instead shifted his attention to Joshua’s former opponent, Francis Ngannou, calling him “a joke” after the Cameroonian reportedly declined a fight offer.
He further claimed that Tommy Fury and Ryan Garcia were also offered the December bout but declined out of “fear,” while stating that Terence Crawford, considered a pound-for-pound star, had agreed to a fight next year.
Meanwhile, Joshua dismissed a £1m bet from Tyson Fury, Tommy’s brother, who said he would wager on Paul winning.
“[Paul] is better than Tyson Fury – he’s actually sitting here. I give him credit for that,” Joshua commented.
“I’m just here to fight. I’ll get the job done, collect my cheque and that’s it.”
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Notwithstanding his intent to punish Paul, Joshua refrained from denigrating his opponent’s boxing abilities, stating, “Jake is a serious fighter.”
Paul, who initially gained fame on the Disney Channel, has primarily faced MMA fighters or aging boxers since becoming a professional. He suffered a defeat to Tommy Fury in 2023.
Despite his relative inexperience, Paul remains a significant commercial draw in boxing, commanding substantial paydays.
The 28-year-old predicted a knockout victory in the fourth or fifth round and asserted that he would disrupt the highly anticipated Joshua–Fury fight, which is reportedly being planned for 2026.
“It’s going to be me versus Tyson Fury next year,” Paul declared.
The stark contrast in size and experience between Joshua and Paul was evident during their face-off, underscoring the unlikely nature of the event and the surprise that the fight is indeed taking place.
Joshua, with a record of 28 professional wins and four losses, has shared the ring with notable figures such as Wladimir Klitschko, Joseph Parker, and Oleksandr Usyk.
The surreal atmosphere surrounding the affair is intensified by Paul’s previous plan to fight lightweight boxer Gervonta Davis this month, a bout that was canceled after Davis faced a domestic abuse lawsuit filed by his ex-girlfriend.
As part of the fight stipulations, Joshua, who has weighed in at over 17st 12lb (113kg) in his last three fights, must weigh under 17st 7lbs (111kg), and both fighters will use regulation 10oz gloves.
Paul claimed he was willing “to die in the ring,” a particularly strong statement considering the safety concerns surrounding the fight due to the disparity in experience and size between the two fighters.
“This is going to be fun. I want him to cut me up. I want him to break my face,” he said.
Joshua, who had already planned to fight in Saudi Arabia before the end of the year, is reportedly set to earn approximately £36.9m ($50m) for the December bout.
The 2012 Olympic gold medalist has not fought since his loss to Daniel Dubois in September 2024.
He revealed that he has been training with the coaching team of his former opponent and current unified world champion Oleksandr Usyk for this fight and will not have Ben Davison in his corner.
“I took 12 months out of the game and realigned my vision board,” he said in his usual philosophical manner.
“I trimmed down my team too as I was moving at 100mph with the blinkers on. It has taken a bit of time but now I’m here.”
There is a 5 inch difference in height between Paul and Joshua
Joshua has fought in 13 world title fights at heavyweight, Paul has never fought at that level in any weight class
The only time Anthony Joshua has fought in America was a 2019 defeat to Andy Ruiz in New York
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