Jake Paul has revealed a private message he shared with Anthony Joshua, as the pair officially confirm they will fight next month.
The YouTuber-turned-boxer will face the former heavyweight world champion on December 19 at the Kaseya Center in Miami.
The bout, which will be contested over eight three-minute rounds, will be streamed on Netflix.
Paul had originally been set to take on lightweight world champion Gervonta Davis on November 14, but that was cancelled after a lawsuit was filed against Davis by his ex-girlfriend.
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With Paul needing a new opponent and Joshua keen to box before the end of the year, negotiations accelerated quickly.
Joshua has not fought since September 2024, when he was knocked out by Daniel Dubois.
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Now the 36-year-old, who has weighed more than 250lbs for his past three fights will need to come in under 245lbs for the fight with Paul.
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The pair had already exchanged messages earlier this year.
Back in June, Paul said: "He [Joshua] DM'd me today like saying 'LOL' to one of my training clips and then I sent him a 'LOL' with a picture of him getting knocked out by Daniel Dubois.
"And so I guess like we're kind of s*** talking, behind the scenes a bit.
"But I have a lot of love for Anthony Joshua. I think this type of stuff is funny and he's a great guy."
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The back-and-forth has continued following the announcement of the fight, which Paul has described as 'Judgment Day'.
He said: “A professional heavyweight fight against an elite world champion in his prime.
"When I beat Anthony Joshua, every doubt disappears, and no one can deny me the opportunity to fight for a world title.
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Paul continued: "To all my haters, this is what you wanted. To the people of the United Kingdom, I am sorry.
"On Friday 19 December, under the lights in Miami, live globally only on Netflix, the torch gets passed and Britain’s Goliath gets put to sleep.”
Paul only made his professional debut five years ago and is now preparing to face a two-time unified heavyweight champion.
His win over Mike Tyson last year was a huge commercial success, with an estimated 108 million average live viewers worldwide tuning in for Netflix's first boxing event.
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Since then, the streaming service has hosted multiple fights, including Terence Crawford's victory over Canelo Alvarez.
For Joshua, the fight marks a chance to return to action ahead of a potential blockbuster showdown with Tyson Fury next year.
Although he enters as the overwhelming favourite, Joshua has vowed to show 'no mercy' and described it as a 'big opportunity'.
Topics: Jake Paul, Anthony Joshua, Boxing, Heavyweight Boxing
James Taylor