Even Jake Paul admits it, he was a failed high school athlete who could not make the cut when he really wanted to. On Friday night in Miami he bids to change that narrative for ever.
The 28-year-old ‘Problem Child’ has made countless millions of dollars as a YouTuber and influencer, but it’s not really what he wanted to do most. Instead, he wanted to be an NFL football star.
Jake though was overtaken by his peers as he failed to add the required physical stature to compete in the major US pro sports. And instead he became a celebrity, first on the Disney Channel and then in front of the wider world on YouTube.
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Now Paul has finally become a professional sports star in the unlikeliest arena – top-level boxing. And on Friday night in Miami he takes on his ‘craziest’ challenge yet – against two-time world heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua.
For Paul it’s a familiar tale – he is not really a heavyweight and will probably be outweighed by at least 30lbs on fight night – even though Joshua must tip the scales at 245lbs or less at the official weigh-in on Thursday.
In terms of sheer size and resume, the gulf between these two men is absolutely enormous. AJ (28-4 with 25 knockouts) has been the best there is in the heavyweight world – on two separate occasions, beating most of the top fighters around.
Paul meanwhile has a 12-1 pro record with his ‘victims’ made up of washed-up boxers, washed-up MMA stars and ‘celebrities’. His only defeat came to a Fury – not heavyweight king Tyson, but his little brother Tommy – the ‘Love Island’ star.
On paper there is zero chance of Jake coming even close to pulling off the upset – most experts are seriously fearing for his health ahead of this eight-rounder (both men will wear 10oz gloves). But Paul has been fighting against the physical odds for most of his life, and this he says will be no different.
From sports failure to main event
He admitted: “The thing that I was thinking about, man, is I wanted to go to the NFL, I was a really good running back. Then all of a sudden, a couple years later in high school, I wasn’t. I was benched on the basketball team. Couldn’t really score points anymore. I was smaller, didn’t go through puberty at the right time, whatever.
“I was a pretty good wrestler. But my dreams kept on getting crushed, and crushed, and crushed, and it really broke my morale and spirit. But I just kept fighting. I kept knocking down the doors of opportunities.
“So I think kids out there get discouraged very easily, and think that one or ten or twenty failures defines them. I never thought I would be where I’m at today as a failed high school athlete whose dreams were crushed.”
While many sneer at the notion of Paul getting in with elite current boxers, even the most hardcore boxing fan will admit that he is totally dedicated himself to the sport in recent years. He leaves no stone unturned in terms of preparation and in building a strong team around him.
The power of hard work
He added: “The power of hard work, discipline, and pushing through failures, and learning from those experiences, is the most underrated thing in the world and, you just can’t let your failures define you. I think now for the first time, people won’t have any excuses.
“Seven years ago I was on Disney Channel, and he (AJ) was a heavyweight champion. 13 years ago I was winning wrestling tournaments, and he was winning Olympic gold medals, so… It’s by far the most challenging and craziest fight I’ve done to date. And… I will win.”
While Paul sounds very confident, a man who believes he can overturn enormous odds, he knows what victory would mean.
“I’m going to do the impossible. He’s gonna have to kill me to stop me, and I’m ready to die.”
Joshua vs Jake – how to watch live
The bout takes place in Miami, Florida on Friday December 19. Ring walks are expected to be no earlier than 10pm Eastern Time, which is 3am Saturday in the UK.
The fight will stream live on Netflix and it will be completely FREE for existing subscribers. Remember a similar setup for Paul’s clash with Mike Tyson, which drew a record audience of 108million in November 2024.
