Jake Paul has gotten under the skin of most since first arriving on the pugilistic scene in 2020.
The former YouTuber turned fringe cruiserweight contender has fought several former MMA fighters and a retired NBA player. He’s also sprinkled in a few fights against professional boxers well past their prime.
Despite not facing a championship-caliber boxer in his prime, Paul (12-1, 7 KOs) has said time and time again that he can beat some of the best fighters in the world. Well,
he’ll finally come face-to-face with one when he takes on Anthony Joshua in a main event Netflix will stream Friday night from Kaseya Center in Miami.
Eddie Hearn, Joshua’s longtime promoter, can’t wait for them to share the ring. After spending years listening to Paul bloviate about his abilities, Hearn is convinced that Joshua is about to do everyone a favor.
“Boxing doesn’t have to worry, it’s in good hands,” a smiling Hearn told several reporters. “He’s going to get what’s coming to him on Friday. We’ll take care of business.”
Initially, it appeared as though
Joshua (28-4, 25 KOs) was taking the year off. The 36-year-old two-time unified heavyweight champion has been out of sight and out of mind since suffering a brutal fifth-round stoppage defeat at the hands of
Daniel Dubois in September 2024.
Yet, when
Gervonta Davis was removed from his fight with Paul
due to a civil lawsuit containing aggravated battery and kidnapping accusations by an ex-girlfriend, Joshua was called to replace him. Although the 2012 Olympic gold medalist is a heavy favorite, wins over past-their-prime boxers
Julio Chavez Jr. and Mike Tyson have Paul feeling good about himself.
Joshua’s ring rust and Paul’s recent form haven’t unnerved Hearn. The way he sees it, there’s only one way this will end.
“The only way he can get lucky is if he doesn’t get hit flush,” Hearn concluded. “If he just gets half a shot, he’ll get knocked out, but it won't be too bad. If he gets hit clean, he’s in big trouble.”