Jake Paul has got fans talking after posting footage of him training on social media ahead of his heavyweight bout with Anthony Joshua.
YouTuber-turned-boxer Paul, 28, and former two-time unified heavyweight world champion Joshua are scheduled to fight in a professional contest in Miami on December 19.
Britain’s Joshua is an experienced campaigner and boasts wins over Wladimir Klitschko, Joseph Parker and Andy Ruiz in his career while also sharing the ring with Oleksandr Usyk twice, with ‘AJ’ losing both fights.
Meanwhile, Paul has faced less formidable opponents, defeating several aging former MMA stars and fellow influencers. He lost to Tommy Fury in February 2023. Additionally, he fought and beat former heavyweight champion Mike Tyson in November 2024—although ‘Iron Mike’ was 58 and had not competed in nearly 20 years by that time.
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The 28-year-old boasts a professional record of 12 wins with seven coming via knockout against former opponents such as NBA star Nate Robinson as well as ex-UFC fighters Ben Askren and Tyron Woodley.
But Joshua is in an entirely different bracket to that of Paul’s former opponents, with some boxing experts even fearing for the American’s safety ahead of the highly anticipated bout.
Despite this, Paul has insisted that he will deliver “the biggest upset in boxing history”.
And with the fight nearing, fans have been keen to see the shape Paul is in with him boxing at heavyweight for just the second time in his career.
The former Disney star posted a clip of himself training on social media on December 11, and it’s certainly got fans talking.
After watching the clip in which Paul repeatedly punches a heavy bag, one fan said: “I think AJ is gonna rip his head off. But he looks solid on the bag.”
Another added: “Hands coming back up, footwork purposeful, balance centred, moving off line — this is legit.”
A third claimed: “I don’t even like the guy, but his footwork and technique can’t be denied, deserve respect.”
While a fourth suggested: “You all notice you haven’t seen anything from AJ, no training videos, nothing... You all still think this is legit."
As a fifth commented: “Some Peekaboo might be perfect for this match-up.
“If Jake can hop into angles like Tyson used to, he can strike while out of danger.
“Looks a little too stationary here for my liking… needs to be able to close the gap safely.”
Topics: Jake Paul, Anthony Joshua, Boxing, Heavyweight Boxing
Luke Davies