Big words from Jake Paul ahead of the AJ fight: “The Problem Child” claims that he is “the better boxer” and promises a sensation.
Jake Paul follows up verbally – and takes direct aim at the ego of one of the biggest heavyweight names of the last decade. A few days before the showdown against Anthony Joshua, the social media star declared that he was superior to the former world champion in boxing terms. “I’m the better boxer than AJ – as crazy as that sounds,” said Paul in Miami. Joshua is “stiff”, has “two left feet” and needs dance lessons rather than sparring. He himself specifically hired sparring partners to mirror Joshua’s style: “I will show all my skills.”
The eight-round heavyweight bout takes place on Friday at the Kaseya Center and will be streamed worldwide on Netflix. Joshua is allowed to weigh a maximum of 245 pounds – an unusual frame for the Brit, who has recently been much heavier in the ring. Paul, on the other hand, brings speed and confidence.
While Joshua is boxing again for the first time after his knockout defeat to Daniel Dubois, Paul is coming off six wins in a row. The bookmakers clearly see Joshua ahead – but Paul believes in the big narrative: “This will be the biggest upset in sports history.”
Text by Robin Josten