Former two-time heavyweight world champion Anthony Joshua has delivered a brutally honest assessment of Jake Paul's contribution to the sport of boxing, bluntly stating the YouTube star has done "not much" to change the fight game's landscape.
Joshua's Frank Pre-Fight Assessment
The stark comments came as the two men prepare for their professional heavyweight showdown this Friday, December 19, in Miami, Florida. The bout is scheduled for eight three-minute rounds, with both fighters wearing 10oz gloves. For Joshua, the fight serves as a useful exercise to get rounds under his belt ahead of a significant 2026 campaign.
When directly questioned about what influence Paul has had on boxing, Joshua was unequivocal. "Not much because the sport is a sport," the British fighter stated. He elaborated by placing both their careers in a broader historical context, arguing that fighters come and go while the sport itself endures.
"Fighters like Jake and myself are going to come and go," Joshua said. "There's been great fighters; Muhammad Alis of the world, Jack Johnsons, the list goes on. Mike Tysons of the world. So, what we do for the sport, we kind of put ourselves on a pedestal."
Credit Where It's Due: Grassroots and Women's Boxing
Despite his overall dismissal of Paul's impact on boxing's core, Joshua did acknowledge two specific areas where he believes the social media sensation has made a positive difference. The first is in inspiring a younger generation to take up the sport.
"Kids, I think he's inspired a lot of kids," Joshua conceded. "Parents are now taking their kids to boxing gyms, so for grassroots boxing gyms that were struggling to pay bills are now full because of people like Jake Paul." He attributed this surge in interest to Paul's massive YouTube audience discovering boxing through his content.
The second area of praise was for Paul's work in promoting women's boxing through his Most Valuable Promotions (MVP) company, which he founded four years ago with business partner Nakisa Bidarian. "And for women's boxing, he's done amazing because it's a women's right to stand up and fight for equal rights. And Jake's a pioneer of that," Joshua stated.
Paul's Preparations and Promotion's Focus
Paul enters this fight after a significant shift in his plans. He was originally scheduled to face Gervonta Davis last month, but that bout was cancelled after Davis faced serious legal allegations. Since turning professional in 2020, Paul has cultivated a reputation for high-profile feuds, but has also demonstrated a serious commitment to boxing as a promoter.
MVP's stable now boasts an impressive roster of female talent, including recent signing Caroline Dubois, as well as established champions like Amanda Serrano, Ellie Scotney, Chantelle Cameron, and Dina Thorslund. Paul has been vocal about his mission to elevate women's boxing, arguing that the fights they deliver are often more entertaining than some high-profile men's bouts.
"I think MVP has done that and given the women the platform that they deserve," Paul said earlier this year. He highlighted the action-packed nature of women's fights, citing the punch output in Serrano's historic clash with Katie Taylor as vastly exceeding that of some major men's contests.
The blockbuster fight between Anthony Joshua and Jake Paul will be streamed live on Netflix, making it accessible to a global audience and marking another major foray into live sports for the streaming giant.
