Anthony Joshua has put himself in a “no-win situation” after accepting a fight against YouTuber-turned-boxer Jake Paul, according to Sky Sports pundit Johnny Nelson. The former two-time unified world champion will face Paul in an eight-round sanctioned heavyweight bout at Kaseya Center, Miami, in the early hours of Saturday December 20 UK time.
“It sounds like there’s 50 million reasons why Anthony Joshua is taking this fight,” Nelson told Sky Sports News. He said the contest appears driven by business rather than legacy, and suggested Joshua’s desire to be a three-time world champion makes the decision surprising.
Nelson noted a 245lb weight limit for Joshua, pointing out that the last time AJ fought around that weight was against Oleksandr Usyk, and that Joshua weighed about 254lb for his defeat to Daniel Dubois. “That means he’s got to be fighting fit, on point, because his last fight he was 254 against Daniel Dubois,” Nelson said. “It’s not tiddly winks. This is a fight… if this is a real, legitimate fight, Jake Paul is super brave, and it’ll be interesting to see.”
Promoter Eddie Hearn has insisted both men will wear 10oz gloves, the standard for a professional heavyweight bout. Nelson agreed the fight will be treated seriously because of Joshua’s involvement, but reiterated his view that money is the driving factor. “AJ will take enough stick for this but money talks. AJ is in a no-win situation. If he goes in there, Jake Paul lasts the distance, what does that tell you about AJ?”
Nelson argued outcomes from the fight present problems for Joshua either way: a knockout of Paul would be expected and bring little glory beyond silencing Paul’s critics; going the distance or struggling would damage Joshua’s standing. “Most people will watch this to hopefully see Jake Paul get his mouth shut. They hope the great version of Anthony Joshua turns up. If that version of Anthony turns up, then it’s going to be a comfortable, smug night for any boxing snob. If any other version of Anthony Joshua turns up, and he struggles with Jake Paul, then Anthony Joshua needs to think to himself, ‘wow, I’ve turned into a businessman’, because that’s what it is, a bounty hunter, a prize fighter.”
Joshua has not boxed since his shock knockout loss to Dubois in their IBF world heavyweight title fight last September. Nelson questioned whether Joshua can rediscover his best form, saying his days of becoming world champion have grown slimmer. He pointed to Tyson Fury as the biggest non-Joshua name in heavyweight boxing and suggested the current state of the sport has opened opportunities for both Paul and Joshua to capitalise commercially.
Regarding Paul, who holds a 12-1 record and last beat former world champion Julio Cesar Chavez Jr on points, Nelson predicted a harsh outcome. “I would expect the same thing that happened in AJ against Ngannou,” he said. “I would expect Paul to get knocked out, if not saved by the referee.”
Nelson praised Paul’s ambition and business acumen: “Jake Paul is a very brave, ambitious young man who has a great business head on his shoulder. Now he’s got our attention. I think everything he’s done in our game, I commend and respect him for that. For Jake Paul, well done, the job is done. For Anthony Joshua, get the job done and show the difference in class.”