Jake Paul is set to take on former British heavyweight world champion Anthony Joshua in Miami on Friday in a fight that has been widely criticized for the risks Jake Paul, a YouTuber turned boxer, is facing.
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One year after his recent, controversial win against the legendary Mike Tyson, who was 58 at the time, Jake Paul is now going up against a much younger and more formidable opponent in Joshua, who is 36.
Originally, Paul was meant to fight American Gervonta Davis, another big name but in a lighter weight class.
However, he changed his plans last month after new domestic violence allegations were made against Davis.
Against Joshua, Paul won't have the size advantage—he's 1.85 meters tall and weighs around 90 kg, while Joshua is 1.98 meters tall and weighs about 113 kg.
But this fight has a big audience, being broadcast by the streaming platform Netflix. The main event will take place at 5:00 pm local time, which is 11:00 pm in Paris and 10:00 pm in GMT. The two boxers are expected to split around $184 million from the event.
This unusual fight, arranged primarily for hype, has sparked concerns about the future of boxing, especially after Terence Crawford, a highly skilled and underrated champion, recently retired.
Crawford had avoided the most profitable events, except for his last big fight, a victory over the Mexican Canelo Alvarez in September.
The boxing community is extremely worried about Jake Paul's safety, considering he's facing a super powerful opponent with superior technique, who was once an Olympic champion and held titles in the heavyweight division.
Eddie Hearn, Joshua's longtime promoter, expressed before the fight was signed that the event presented "a catastrophic gap in level."
Former world heavyweight champion David Haye warned that Friday could be Jake Paul's "last day on Earth," even though the 28-year-old has taken boxing seriously, with 12 wins in 13 fights.
The British Boxing Board of Control, the governing body for professional boxing, said it would not have approved an eight-round professional fight for "security reasons."
Jake Paul has embraced his "delusional optimism" and said he loves "measuring himself against the best."
Joshua hasn't fought since his knockout loss to fellow Briton Daniel Dubois at Wembley in September 2024.
He has stated he's taking this fight seriously and plans to "destroy the head and body" of his opponent, warning that he will "stomp on him."
Joshua had previously knocked out Cameroonian Francis Ngannou in early 2024, a former MMA fighter who had moved to boxing and boasted a more impressive physique than Jake Paul (1.93 meters and around 123 kg).
Michal Bisping, a former UFC star and now a commentator, noted that "Joshua had faced the very best."
He also warned, "People die in boxing rings.
You don't play around with that."