Anthony Joshua has made it clear that he has no intentions of going easy on Jake Paul. The former heavyweight champion is set to face the YouTuber in what is expected to be a one-sided bout in Miami on December 19, with Joshua earning a substantial sum of up to £70 million for the fight.
Acknowledging that only a knockout will satisfy his desire for victory, Joshua shared that he will be trained by Oleksandr Usyk’s team for the upcoming match. “Simply winning is not enough for me; I must deliver a knockout,” Joshua stated firmly.
“I plan to inflict damage on him both physically and mentally. My goal is to demonstrate my superior fighting abilities and continue to do so for as long as I compete. I will approach the fight with a clear objective to cause harm; I intend to inflict significant pain in the ring,” Joshua elaborated.
Expressing respect for his opponent, who has accumulated 13 professional fights since debuting in 2020, Joshua emphasized Paul’s dedication to the sport. “Jake is a formidable fighter. Consider this – when I first stepped into the boxing world, I was an underdog with little support. It took me three years to reach the Olympics,” Joshua reflected. “He has been at this for five years. I know better than to underestimate anyone.”
On the other hand, Paul expressed his readiness to take extreme measures to achieve what would be considered a major upset in boxing history. “No one believed we would reach this point when I started boxing,” Paul remarked. “The odds are against me, but get ready to be surprised. I trust in my strength and timing. It’s the unexpected hits that matter, and I specialize in surprising knockouts; he needs to be cautious. I predict a knockout in the fourth or fifth round. I am prepared to give it my all to win this fight.”