The news had been anticipated by a scoop from The Ring journalist Mike Coppinger; now the official confirmation has arrived. Former heavyweight world champion and former Olympic champion Anthony Joshua will face former YouTuber Jake Paul in a professional boxing match. The bout will take place on December 19 at the Kaseya Center in Miami.
The announcement was confirmed by both fighters, who have already released their first fiery statements ahead of the showdown. Jake Paul said he is convinced he will silence all his haters and that by beating Joshua he will open the door to a chance at fighting for a world title. Here are his words:
“This isn’t an AI simulation, this is judgment day. 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. To all my haters, this is what you wanted. To the people of the United Kingdom, I am sorry – the torch gets passed and Britain’s Goliath gets put to sleep.”
Anthony Joshua appeared equally confident, stating the following:
“Jake or anyone can get this work, no mercy. I took some time out and I’m coming back with a mega show, it’s a big opportunity for me. Whether you like it or not, I’m here to do massive numbers, have big fights and break every record while keeping cool, calm and collected. Mark my words, you’ll see a lot more fighters take these opportunities in the future. I’m about to break the internet over Jake Paul’s face.”
According to the early reports, the match will be considered a fully professional contest, with the result appearing on both fighters’ official records. Joshua and Paul will fight over eight three-minute rounds and will wear 10-ounce gloves. There appear to be no restrictions regarding the power they will be allowed to use.
The event will be broadcast live on Netflix and can be watched at no additional cost by anyone with a subscription to the platform, just as happened last year for the much-discussed Jake Paul vs Mike Tyson fight.