Amir Khan has revealed what 'he's heard' from one of Jake Paul's sparring partners as the American prepares to fight Anthony Joshua on Friday night.
The YouTuber-turned-boxer will step into the ring with the former two-time heavyweight champion at the Kaseya Center in Miami.
The bout was only confirmed last month after Paul's planned fight with Gervonta Davis was cancelled following a domestic abuse lawsuit being filed against Davis.
Paul boasts a 12-1 record since turning professional five years ago, but Joshua represents a significantly tougher opponent than anyone he has faced to date.
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The American has not fought since June, when he defeated Julio Cesar Chavez Jr, while the Briton last took to the ring in September 2024, suffering a defeat to Daniel Dubois.
It is widely expected that Joshua will win comfortably on Friday night, but Paul has remained defiant throughout the pre-fight build-up.
Speaking at the press conference, Paul said he was unfazed by the challenge and eager to receive Joshua's hardest punches.
Paul has prepared for the fight from his base in Puerto Rico, bringing in several sparring partners, including former two-weight world champion Lawrence Okolie.
Speaking to iFL TV, former light-welterweight world champion Khan revealed what he had heard from Okolie about Paul's training camp.
Khan said: "I heard that Lawrence Okolie was sparring with him and he goes, 'he can bang'."
Former British cruiserweight champion Johnny Nelson replied: "With the sparring, there is no way in a million years that Lawrence and everyone else would put it on him hard.
"Not in a million years.
"They'll have been taking their time and punching."
Jared Anderson and Frank Sánchez have also been part of Paul's training camp preparations.
Meanwhile, American light heavyweight Steve Geffrard, who has sparred with Paul for several years, believes he has made 'considerable improvement in the last two years'.
As per The Times, he said: “He’s a strong fighter. He’s got quick hands.
"I think the problem is he hasn’t really been able to show it yet because of the people he’s fought.
"He’s way better than the level of competition he has been fighting. This is a massive jump, but it’s boxing.
"You can’t count anybody out. We’ve seen some crazy things happen in the past.”
However, DeAndre Savage, who worked with Paul in the build-up to his fight with Tyson last year, offered a more damning verdict.
“When I sparred Jake, I recognised that he is still a little green," he said.
"He doesn’t have the experience to fight Anthony Joshua.
"The fight doesn’t really make sense to me. I don’t think it’s even going to be close."
How to watch Jake Paul vs Anthony Joshua if you don’t have Netflix
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Sky is currently offering its ‘Stream on Screen’ package - including Netflix, discovery+ and much more - for just £15/ month. It’s Sky’s lowest-ever price and will allow you to watch the big fight live along with Sky Atlantic, Sky Stream and Sky Essential TV.
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Topics: Jake Paul, Anthony Joshua, Boxing, Amir Khan, Boxing News, Heavyweight Boxing
James Taylor