Whether you love it or hate it, Anthony Joshua vs Jake Paul will capture the world’s attention tonight (Friday December 19).
At around 10.30pm Eastern Time in Miami (3.30am Saturday in the UK), a two-time world heavyweight champion will throw down with a relative novice who has a day job as a YouTuber.
Joshua is a heavy favourite (1/11 in most places) but that really doesn’t do enough justice to how big of a mismatch this really is. AJ is still an elite heavy, even if he is not quite the force of old. Jake remember could not put away a 58-year-old Mike Tyson last year, and suffered his only loss to ‘Love Island’ star Tommy Fury.
READ MORE: Joshua vs Jake Paul schedule, running order and ring walks
With just a few hours to those ring walks, it’s time to provide our expert picks and predictions for this Netflix blockbuster.
Joshua vs Jake Paul predictions
When we said the odds for this one do not justice to a monumental mismatch, we were not joking.
Jake is around the 6/1 mark – as far as we are concerned you can add a zero to that before even coming close to reality.
Joshua’s 28-4 resume includes 25 knockouts, and those knockouts include wins over some of the best big men around. Say what you want about AJ, but he ducks nobody.
Paul meanwhile is a blown-up cruiserweight whose boxing CV really comprises of washed-up fighters (boxing and MMA) and celebrities. The comparison is wild.
If you don’t believe the cold, hard facts then look at the sheer physical difference between the two men when they have faced off in the build-up to this bout, it’s enormous. Around two stones in weight and significant in terms of height and reach.
There is another reason to believe that a) this bout will not be scripted and b) Joshua will be on his A game. He has a very significant bag that he must not fumble.
Joshua reportedly has a two-fight deal with Saudi Arabia waiting in 2026 which is worth at least nine figures (£100million to you and me). If, as expected, the second of those fights is that long-awaited British blockbuster vs Tyson Fury then that might be a conservative estimate.
So AJ, who will earn a career-high £70million for tonight, cannot afford to look bad against a man who really does not deserve to be in the same ring as him. He must dispose of Jake, and he must do it quickly.
It’s tempting to take the 11/4 available for Joshua to win in Round 1 – it’s eminently possible and it should really be likely. But we believe he will take his time before starting to unload the big bombs he is so famous for.
Joshua is a terrific finisher, one of the best in the business, and we believe he’ll get the job done before the end of Round 2. Remember how he dealt with his last ‘crossover’ opponent Francis Ngannou? Expect a repeat here.
Take the 29/20 available about Joshua winning in Rounds 1-2 and you still collect even if he does starch ‘The Problem Child’ in the opening session. Oh, and merry Christmas!
Joshua vs Jake Paul predictions
Joshua to win in Rounds 1-2 (29/20 with BetMGM)
