Even if Anthony Joshua privately views Jake Paul as a lucrative late-December stocking stuffer wrapped in Netflix money, he’s not letting it show. The former two-time unified heavyweight champion is treating Paul like a legitimate threat at least on the surface ahead of their December 19 clash at Miami’s Kaseya Center.
What he is willing to share? That he plans to ruin Paul.
“I’m going to break his face,” Joshua said bluntly at a recent press conference. “I am going to break his body up. I’m going to stomp all over him. That’s my fighter’s mentality… I need to cut him up, I need to break him up, and I need to hurt him. I need to knock him out.”
Joshua (28-4, 25 KOs) is a massive favorite north of -1000 at most sportsbooks and he knows that allowing the 12-1 Paul to hang around will only create uncomfortable questions about his own form. After a career that’s seen stunning highs and crushing lows, the 34-year-old Brit is trying to rebuild himself once again.
Joshua: “I’m Going to Bring Him to Another School of Boxing”
While Joshua insists he won’t underestimate Paul, he also made it clear the YouTuber-turned-boxer is about to enter unfamiliar territory.
“I’m going to come forward, impose myself, land heavy punches, and expose him to certain tricks in boxing that he may not have seen yet,” Joshua said. “I’m going to bring him to another school of boxing that I don’t think he’s been exposed to yet.”
Behind the violent intentions, Joshua did give Paul measured praise something few expected.
“I see talent, focus… a good team,” he said. “His mentality is solid. It’s better than Tyson Fury’s. So I take him seriously in preparation and give him the respect he deserves.”
Joshua’s High-Stakes Comeback Trail
Since 2019, Joshua is 6-4, with losses that reshaped his career and his public image. His most recent outing a brutal fifth-round stoppage loss to Daniel Dubois in September 2024 resulted in elbow surgery and plans for a Saudi Arabia return on “The Ring IV” in November.
Those plans evaporated when Netflix called.
Now the expectation is clear:
Beat Jake Paul, fight again in February, and position himself for a late-2026 megafight against Tyson Fury if the “Gypsy King” un-retires. And Joshua insists he’s ready.
“I’ve been building myself over the last year. I haven’t been sitting back,” Joshua said. “I know what I can do, and I can’t wait to show it. I’m not going to crumble. I’m solid. I’ve been through wars, and I am still standing super strong because I have the hunger and desire.”
Paul’s Dangerous X-Factor
Though Joshua publicly respects Paul’s work ethic and mentality, the reality is simple:
If this fight goes deep, Joshua faces scrutiny. If Paul has success early, Joshua faces pressure. And if Joshua struggles against a man most expect him to flatten… the comeback narrative collapses. Joshua knows it and that’s why the bravado has an edge of urgency.
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Robert LaMar is a writer for Dice City Sports. You can follow him on X via @RobertLaMar26
