Anthony Joshua on track for heavyweight showdown with Jake Paul in Miami

Two-time heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua has confirmed he is on weight ahead of his highly anticipated six-round bout against YouTuber-turned-boxer Jake Paul in Miami on December 19, Sport360NG reports.

The 36-year-old Briton, who must not exceed 17st 7lb (111kg) for the fight, posted a social media video showing a scale reading of 110.6kg, signaling that he is comfortably within the limit. “They must have forgot. I’m used to dealing with big weights and scales,” Joshua quipped.

The fight has drawn attention due to the significant size and experience gap between the two competitors. Paul, 28, has largely fought at cruiserweight, while Joshua is a former two-time heavyweight world champion. Joshua’s promoter, Eddie Hearn, revealed that Paul’s team initially sought an even lower weight cap before agreeing on the 17st 7lb limit. For context, Paul weighed 16st 3lb (103kg) in his high-profile bout against Mike Tyson last year. Both fighters will compete with regulation 10oz gloves.

Former undisputed heavyweight champion Oleksandr Usyk, who has gone 24 rounds against Joshua without defeat, expressed concern for Paul, warning that the physical and technical disparity could be dangerous. “If Anthony Joshua wants, he will kill this guy,” Usyk told Boxing Scene. “Anthony Joshua is an Olympic champion first. Jake Paul, yeah, a sportsman, a YouTuber, a showman. Joshua is Rolls-Royce; Jake is a Fiat.”

Usyk also added: “Yes, I will pray for Jake Paul. Because I want to fight with Jake Paul in the octagon.”

The matchup highlights stark contrasts: a 52lb difference between their last recorded fight weights, a five-inch height advantage for Joshua, and vastly different career experiences. Paul holds a 12-1 professional record, primarily built against limited or aging opposition, with his only loss coming against Tommy Fury in 2023.