Everything you need to know ahead of Jake Paul vs. Anthony Joshua
Jake Paul and Anthony Joshua meet in an eight-round professional heavyweight bout Friday night at Kaseya Center in Miami. It will be the biggest test of Paul's career by a mile. Until now, the YouTube star turned boxer has largely feasted on MMA fighters, over-the-hill boxers like Mike Tyson and Julio Cesar Chavez Jr., and influencers. But this time, Paul is taking on a former two-time heavyweight champion who, at 36 years old, isn't far removed from his prime.
Here's everything you need to know ahead of the blockbuster matchup.
How do I watch the fight?
The event will stream on Netflix, with the main card beginning at 8 p.m. ET. It requires a basic subscription to watch, starting at $7.99 USD a month.
What are the rules?
The Florida Athletic Commission sanctioned Friday's main event as a professional boxing match. Paul and Joshua will wear 10-ounce gloves and fight a maximum of eight three-minute rounds. The result will count on each fighter's record.
Why did Paul agree to fight Joshua?
This, of course, wasn't supposed to be Paul's next fight. He was scheduled to face WBA lightweight champion Gervonta "Tank" Davis in a Nov. 14 exhibition, but Paul moved on from that matchup after Davis' ex-girlfriend filed a lawsuit alleging he'd committed domestic violence.
So, why go from Davis, who competes at 135 pounds, to Joshua, who weighed in at 252.5 pounds for his last fight? Doesn't that seem a bit insane? While we don't know Paul's exact thought process behind fighting a top-tier heavyweight on relative short notice, here's the truth: This is basically a win-win scenario for him.
Paul is a +550 underdog on theScore Bet, and the odds should arguably be quite a bit wider than that. He's expected to lose - and in devastating fashion. Any scenario other than a quick knockout loss is a win for Paul, and even then, it's hard to say how much his stock would go down.
He also gets to change the narrative that he handpicks his opponents, choosing only to fight those twice his age or with minimal ring experience. Paul is getting in there with a former unified heavyweight champion and Olympic gold medalist who wants to knock his head off. What can the haters say now?
How will Joshua's size come into play?
Joshua, who's 6-foot-6 with an 82-inch reach, towered over Paul, who's 6-foot-1 with a 76-inch reach, during their first faceoff in November. And Joshua will look every bit as big when he steps into the ring Friday.
It's impossible to know what to expect from any of Paul's fights, but overcoming that kind of size disadvantage - not to mention the gap in skill - will be a tough task.
Expect Joshua to rely heavily on his size, whether that means picking Paul apart from the outside with jabs or being aggressive and looking for a knockout.
Does Paul have a chance?
Everybody has a puncher's chance, but Paul doesn't have much else going for him in this fight with Joshua. The best boxer he's faced is either 58-year-old Tyson, Chavez, or Tommy Fury, and that's saying a lot. As long as there's no gentlemen's agreement for Joshua to carry Paul in the first few rounds - a la Floyd Mayweather Jr. versus Conor McGregor in 2017 - Joshua should be able to end things in a hurry.