Kaseya Center, Miami, the site of Jake Paul vs Anthony Joshua – Source: Unsplash

Why Boxing Fans Shouldn’t Slander Jake Paul vs Anthony Joshua

On November 17th, the boxing world was shaken to its core as a long-rumored but barely believable fight between YouTuber-turned-boxer Jake Paul and former two-time world heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua was confirmed. Sports media immediately went into meltdown, calling the fight a disgrace, primarily due to the fact that the younger Paul brother is a relative novice in comparison to the former 2012 Olympic champion Brit, who was competing for the IBF heavyweight title in his most recent bout last year, a bout which ended in a knockout loss to compatriot Daniel Dubois. 

Paul’s Mammoth Task 

The early betting odds ahead of the clash show just how mammoth the task at hand is for the Problem Child. Websites offering sports betting online currently rank the brash American as an 8/1 underdog, with Joshua installed as a whopping 1/14 favorite. And let’s face it, we shouldn’t be surprised. 

The 36-year-old Joshua is arguably one of the three best heavyweights of his generation, alongside both Oleksandr Usyk and Tyson Fury. The Brit remains at the back end of his prime, still capable of mixing it with the very best in the world, but perhaps unlikely to challenge the aforementioned Usyk should the pair face off for a third time. Compare that to his opponent, Paul, who has only fought a handful of outright boxers, instead preferring fights with aged MMA stars well past their sell-by date, and it’s clear to see why both the fans and the media alike are up in arms. 

The consensus opinion surrounding the fight is this: if the result is anything other than a first-round demolition job in favor of Joshua, then it’s some kind of fix. And if Joshua does go into the fight truly determined to make a statement, then Paul could be in serious danger. Boxing isn’t the type of sport that one “plays.” 

But amid all the uproar, we’re here to offer you a different opinion. A more sensible one, perhaps. Here are two key reasons why boxing fans shouldn’t slander the biggest fight of 2025. 

Joshua Was Poised For a Tune-Up Bout Anyway 

The vast majority of the vitriol being spewed both online and in the media is being aimed at Anthony Joshua. Critics are saying that taking a fight with Jake Paul will tarnish his legacy, and should the American even as much as lay a glove on him, then his entire career could be called into question. Fans are also livid due to the fact that a marquee bout with Tyson Fury – a bout which is already ten years overdue – remains on the table, as do challenges against top-ranked fighters such as Fabio Wardley and Moses Itauma. 

But here’s the kicker: Joshua will be fighting these huge names next year. The plan was always to have a tune-up bout before the end of 2025, Eddie Hearn has stated as such in numerous interviews with the esteemed boxing YouTube channel IFL TV. AJ was pencilled in to go on the undercard of any one of Matchroom’s upcoming cards with a tomato can-like opponent in a bid to tune up for blockbuster bouts next year. Joshua has been out of the ring since last summer’s brutal knockout loss to Daniel Dubois, and he simply wants something of a warm-up between now and the megafights, wrapping the hands again and regaining his timing after the lengthy layoff. 

So, would one like to see Joshua in the ring with an unknown heavyweight on some throwaway show? Or, would they like to see him demolish Jake Paul in front of a huge audience on Netflix for a bucket full of cash? For AJ, it’s a no-brainer. In his eyes, Paul is the easiest opponent he could face, and he is going to get paid a career-high amount of cash in doing so. And better still, he gets his tune-up fight ready for the bigger tests to come. It’s a win-win-win. 

Jake Paul Dares to Be Great 

The criticism thrown at Jake Paul throughout his boxing career is that he is simply not a boxer. He’s a sideshow act. A circus performer. A clown? Perhaps that’s harsh, but considering the opposition he has faced throughout his six-year career, the critics certainly have ammunition. 

Paul made his name brutally knocking out faded MMA legend Ben Askren in just his third professional fight back in 2021. The two fights before that? A fellow YouTuber and a retired former NBA player. Two more retired MMA stars followed, namely former welterweight champion Tyron Woodley (twice) and the greatest middleweight of all time, Anderson Silva, who was approaching the age of 50. 

When he did fight an actual boxer – and not a very good one at that – he was beaten by Tommy Fury in Saudi Arabia in 2023. Since then, further victories against MMA legends Nate Diaz and Mike Perry have followed, while last year’s clash with a 58-year-old Mike Tyson captured the world’s imagination before ultimately being a drab affair. His most recent fight was with faded former middleweight champion Julio César Chávez Jr.; another masterful cherry-pick. 

So, to now move up from cruiserweight to heavyweight and fight an Anthony Joshua who is still capable of the spectacular almost beggars belief. No matter what anyone thinks in the gulf in class between the two men, you simply cannot question the guts and sheer cojones of Paul as he dares to be great. Should he manage to be even remotely competitive against the former two-time world heavyweight champion, then it will be considered a win for him, and a huge one at that. 

However, the fact remains that this gamble could go badly wrong. If AJ goes for the jugular, one had better hope that there are plenty of medical staff on hand in Miami on December 19th, as they will have to peel the young Paul off the canvas.