Anthony Joshua must make a weight for the Jake Paul fight he hasn’t seen on the scale since 2022
Anthony Joshua and Jake Paul will face off in a professional-sanctioned main event on December 19 in Miami, Florida.
The controversial contest was confirmed today by Most Valuable Promotions and Netflix, and follows the withdrawal of Paul’s show against Gervonta Davis.
Reports suggest the fight will last eight rounds with ten-ounce gloves, although there will be a restriction on the hard-hitting Brit, which is unheard of for heavyweights.
Speaking on Sky Sports when the news was announced, MVP co-founder Nakisa Bidarian revealed that Joshua was expected to weigh no more than 245 pounds – a number he last saw on the scales during his rematch with Oleksandr Usyk in 2022.
“So there’s a lot of talk around weight. Joshua fought Usyk twice. Both times Usyk was 221 pounds, Joshua was 240-245. When Jake fought Mike Tyson last year. [he was] 227 pounds. I expect Jake to weigh between 225 and 230, and Anthony Joshua has a weight limit of 245 pounds.
Joshua weighed 244.5 pounds when he was beaten a second time by the big Ukrainian. In his fights since, he has consistently weighed over 250 pounds, peaking at 255 and, most recently, 252 against Daniel Dubois in August 2024 in what would become the fourth defeat of his career. A catchweight for a heavyweight fight is a weird concept, but so is this contest in general.
Regarding the controversy surrounding the fight, Bidarian said it was similar, or an improvement in his eyes, to AJ’s victory over Francis Ngannou in 2024.
“I would say it’s a lot less mismatch than what you saw with AJ and Francis Ngannou – a massive man but relatively no boxing experience. I’d say it’s a lot less mismatch than AJ’s ninth or tenth fight against guys who had been knocked out 20-25 times, given AJ’s pedigree. Jake is built for big moments. Do I think it’s dangerous for Jake Paul? Absolutely. Do I think this is also dangerous for Anthony Joshua 100%.
Ngannou recently turned down the opportunity to face Paul, calling it an insult.
Joshua and Paul will come face to face this Friday at a kickoff press conference.
