By: Sean Crose
According to Mike Coppinger of The Ring, a deal is almost completed that will see novelty boxing star Jake Paul face none other than former world titlist Anthony Joshua. Per Coppinger on social media “Anthony Joshua and Jake Paul are finalizing a deal for a heavyweight fight on Netflix in December in Miami, sources tell @ringmagazine. Paul steps up massively to fight the former heavyweight champion after his exhibition with Gervonta Davis was cancelled. Major props to Paul.”
Major props to Paul indeed. Say what one will about the social media star turned boxing celebrity, he’s really stepping up to the plate. Joshua, a towering Londoner with thunderous power, is known as one of the greatest heavyweights of his generation. A true knockout artist, Joshua, has lost but four fights in his life, two to heavyweight kingpin Oleksandr Usyk, one to Andy Ruiz – which Joshua avenged a short time later – and one to Daniel Dubois. Indeed, the man has never lost to a man who wasn’t or didn’t end up a world titlist. Sure enough it appears a bit surprising that Joshua is reportedly (remember, this hasn’t been signed yet) agreeing to this event.
The guy is a walking, talking moneymaker, after all, one who easily sells out Wembley Stadium. One can only imagine how much Joshua has earned over the course of his career. Still, with a long hoped for fight with fellow Brit Tyson Fury looking once more like a no-go, there really is a shortage of big fights at this point in the man’s career. And a fight with Paul definitely brings attention. It will be interesting to see whether or not this will be an exhibition or an actual professional throwdown. An exhibition will obviously be more safe – especially for Paul – but Paul just might be confident enough for this one to be a professional affair.
One thing is certain – this bout, should it become a reality – is far more interesting than the fight Paul had scheduled to go down this month against Gervonta Davis (continuing legal problems for Davis have prevented that one from becoming a reality). The size difference between the two men alone made it all seem ridiculous. Unlike the lightweight Davis, however, Joshua is a natural heavyweight, which means he and cruiserweight Paul are more professionally aligned. Yet Joshua is clearly a greater physical threat than Davis.
As the great Ray Leonard says: “You don’t play boxing.”
