Maybe Jake Paul really does have balls as big as his talk.
On Monday afternoon ‘The Problem Child’ did what to many was unthinkable as he confirmed he will fight two-time world heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua in a heavyweight fight in Miami on December 19. That’s an actual heavyweight fight – not an exhibition.
The 28-year-old Youtuber turned fighter has assembled a 12-1 resume since becoming ‘a boxer’, but a close look at his resume reveals a very questionable mix of celebrities, former MMA stars and former boxers. His one loss came against Tommy Fury, of Love Island fame.
Paul has never fought anybody remotely in Joshua’s league – he did once fight a former heavyweight champion but Mike Tyson was 58 years old by the time he did. Their ‘rumble’ in Texas last November was curious enough for a record 108m viewers to tune in on Netflix.
On December 19 Jake will land on Netflix again, and another massive audience is likely to tune in as he moves up to heavyweight properly for the very first time, against two-time world champion Joshua (28-4), who remains a vicious knockout artist.
Say all that out loud and it sounds utterly insane. Yes, both men will make a ton of money, and Jake is an entertainer. But he’s putting his health at risk here, forget anything else.
We would be wise to remember what Joshua did the last time he fought a crossover star – he absolutely obliterated former MMA king Francis Ngannou in two rounds early in 2024. It was a terrifying demolition job, and Ngannou is/was much bigger and much better and much more experienced than Jake.
The fact this is only an 8-round fight won’t save Jake (see above and Ngannou) and the fact that AJ cannot weigh in above 245lbs will not save him either. It’s a small drop in heavyweight terms.
So what does the man himself think to the claims that he is biting off way more than he can chew here? He has a pretty simple explanation.
Jake Paul talks about his ‘big balls’
He said: “Lots of people talking about my balls past 24 hours.
“Compared to men these days; yes big balls.
“But men used to run at each other thousands deep with swords and shields not knowing if they and their best friends would die that day.
“This is nothing.
“AJ is a man just as flawed as me and I will expose him.”
Wow, okay Jake, fair play. Whatever we said in the past about you only fighting has beens in freak shows, this is not that.
Joshua may be on the downside of a career which will one day land in him boxing’s Hall of Fame. He was destroyed by Daniel Dubois in his last outing in September 2024. He is now coming off a long rehab following elbow surgery.
But despite that he is only 36 years old, he is still Anthony Joshua, still a man capable of demolishing 99 percent of heavyweights on this planet. Better wrap those balls in cotton wool Jake, they may well be needed.
