Amid the excitement (and a fair amount of wailing from boxing purists) after Anthony Joshua vs Jake Paul was officially confirmed on Monday, one rule was almost forgotten. An unprecedented rule.
We know that when these two men step into the ring in Miami on Friday December 19 (live on Netflix) they will engage in a fully sanctioned professional fight – no exhibitions, thank you. Eight x 3-minute rounds with both men wearing 10oz gloves.
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But it is one other rule, revealed shortly after the official announcement, which could level the playing field just a little in what many believe is a horrific mismatch.
After all, a two-time world heavyweight champion in Joshua should be able to make short work of a Youtuber with a 12-1 record comprised of celebrities, former MMA stars and former boxers.
Jake is a massive draw – as the 108m viewers who tuned in to watch him outpoint 58-year-old Mike Tyson last November will testify. But when it comes to fighting chops, he is light years behind AJ (28-4 with 25 wins inside distance).
Paul of course has so far also fought most of his career at cruiserweight (200lbs) – around 50lbs of where AJ normally operates.
Joshua given weight limit
Normally in heavyweight bouts there is no upper weight limit – but it has been revealed that there will for this one. Joshua will not be able to weight more than 245lbs when the fighters get on the scales on Thursday December 18 in Florida.
Now Joshua has been fighting at anywhere between 250-255lbs for the past three years – you have to go back to his rematch with Oleksandr Usyk in 2022 to find him below 245lbs. And then, only just.
So Joshua, who was just over 252lbs for his last outing – that devastating loss to Daniel Dubois in September 2024 – will have to trim down for this fight against Paul. In theory not disastrous, but also far from ideal.
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Joshua is still trading as a heavy 1/14 favourite in the early going, with Paul the 7/1 outsider. The Draw is trading at odds of 25/1.
AJ of course has fought in a ‘crossover’ bout once before – his showdown with former MMA star Francis Ngannou in early 2024. He blasted out Ngannou in incredible style inside two rounds that night, and in theory Jake is not nearly as much of a threat.
Has Jake bitten off way more than he can chew this time? Or does that weight clause give him just a little more hope?
We will find out on December 19 in Miami…
