The war of words has been steadily escalating. Now it’s almost time for war to be waged in the ring.
Heavyweights Jake Paul and Anthony Joshua had their official weigh-in Thursday in Miami, the site of their highly anticipated eight-round bout on Friday. Joshua weighed in with more than a 25-pound weight advantage, in addition to being five inches taller.
Paul made a brash prediction on Tuesday that he would upset the heavily favored Joshua because ‘I’m a better boxer.’ He followed that prediction up on Thursday, saying he could see the fight ending in the 6th or 7th round.
Meanwhile, Joshua said he wouldn’t pull any punches against the less-experienced Paul, saying, ‘If I can kill you, I will kill you.’
Jake Paul and Anthony Joshua face off
Anthony Joshua overshadowed his opponent, Jake Paul, in their final face-off before the main event on Friday. Paul provided no shortage of antics as the two stood in front of each other on Thursday.
Jake Paul vs. Anthony Joshua weigh-in results
Jake Paul will be at a clear disadvantage on Friday night when he takes on Anthony Joshua. Paul weighed in at 216.6 pounds on Thursday evening, while Joshua was recorded at 243.4 on the scale.
Alycia Baumgardner vs. Leila Beaudoin weigh-in results
Leila Beaudoin weighed in at 130 pounds ahead of her opportunity against Unified Super Featherweight champion Alycia Baumgardner in the co-main event. The champion checked in at 129.2 pounds.
Anderson Silva vs. Tyron Woodley weigh-in results
Tyron Woodley checked in at 194 pounds for his cruiserweight fight against Anderson Silva. The Brazilian checked in at 191.4. Woodley took the fight on short notice after Silva’s previous opponent pulled out of his fight.
Where can I watch the Jake Paul vs. Anthony Joshua weigh-in live?
The 6 p.m. ET weigh-in will be available via streaming across MVP’s YouTube Channel andNetflix Sports’ YouTube Channel.
When is the Anthony Joshua vs. Jake Paul fight?
Jake Paul vs. Anthony Joshua is set for Friday, Dec.19, at 8 p.m. ET. It will be the main event of a nine-fight card. The fight will take place at Kaseya Center in Miami, Florida, home of the NBA’s Miami Heat.
Anthony Joshua’s career record
Since turning pro in 2013, Joshua boasts an impressive 28-4 record, with 25 of those wins coming via knockout. He also won Olympic gold for Great Britain at the 2012 Summer Games in London.
Jake Paul career record
Paul flexes a solid 12-1 record with seven knockouts. Paul’s only loss came in February 2023 against Tommy Fury.
Anthony Joshua vs. Jake Paul odds
According to the latest odds from FanDuel, Joshua is listed as a heavy favorite, at -1300. Paul is a massive underdog, at +700.
The over/under on rounds is set at 2.5, with many believing Joshua will knock out Paul early in the fight.
Anthony Joshua vs. Jake Paul predictions
Nate Diaz: Jake Paul wins
‘I got my money on Paul,’ the former UFC fighter and Paul opponent said. ‘He might get…knocked out, but if he don’t Paul is gonna win.’
Deontay Wilder: If it’s not scripted, Joshua wins
‘In my opinion, it’s scripted a little bit because of the weight difference and Joshua’s a former champion and also he’s current, he’s active,’ the former heavyweight champion said. ‘This is going to be the first time we see Paul fighting an active fighter. We’ve seen the Mike Tyson (fight). That was all fun. That was cute. It was fun and games, but now you’re dealing with a real professional.’
Hasim Rahman: Anthony Joshua wins quick
‘I don’t believe it should be a competitive fight. It should not,’ the former heavyweight champion told USA TODAY Sports. ‘I feel like if Anthony Joshua don’t go in there and manhandle (Paul) and maul him and get him out of there in one or two rounds, then we got some questions to be asked.’
Sportsbook Review: Anthony Joshua by decision
‘Jake Paul fights have been held for the masses. His fight last year against Mike Tyson went the distance to the judges, despite both fighters seemingly having several chances to end it early on. This is another fight on Netflix, on a Friday night, and close to the holiday season. The streaming giant will want to get its money’s worth in viewer retention ahead of airing two NFL games on Christmas Day.’
Jake Paul vs Anthony Joshua: Full fight card
Heavyweight: Jake Paul vs. Anthony Joshua
Cruiserweight: Anderson Silva vs. Tyron Woodley
Unified Super Featherweight Title Bout: Alycia Baumgardner vs. Leila Beaudoin
Super featherweight: Jahmal Harvey vs. Kevin Cervantes
Undisputed Bantamweight Title Bout: Cherneka Johnson vs. Amanda Galle
WBC Strawweight Title Bout: Yokasta Valle vs. Yadira Bustillos
Welterweight: Avious Griffin vs. Justin Cardona
Cruiserweight: Keno Marley vs. Diarra Davis Jr.
WBC Lightweight Title Bout: Caroline Dubois vs. Camila Panatta
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