Anthony Joshua fires warning to Jake Paul in first faceoff ahead of star-studded bout

Everything is set for the highly anticipated showdown between Anthony Joshua and Jake Paul. During their first faceoff, the British heavyweight didn’t hold back, delivering a blunt warning to the influencer about what awaits him in the ring.

The two stars will return to action on December 19, marking one of the most intriguing matchups of the year. For Joshua, it will be his comeback after more than a year away from competition. For Paul, it represents the elite-level challenge he has been asking for since beginning his transition from YouTuber to professional boxer.

Paul has built a successful boxing brand, but Joshua is unquestionably the most accomplished and dangerous opponent he has ever faced. The two-time world champion made that perfectly clear during their first official encounter—reminding Paul that stepping into the ring with him is nothing like the fights he has had before.

Joshua makes honest confession about his goal vs. Jake Paul

Joshua (28–4, 25 KOs) enters this fight with a point to prove after his loss to Daniel Dubois in September 2024. Despite the setback, analysts overwhelmingly favor the British fighter, noting that Paul (12-1, 6 KOs) is stepping into a completely different class of competition.

Beyond the experience gap, Joshua’s size and athleticism present a major obstacle for Paul—who has never faced a heavyweight of Joshua’s caliber. And according to AJ himself, his goal on fight night is simple: make a statement.

Joshua emphasized that he intends to remind the boxing world who he is and ensure Paul understands the difference between an internet-built boxing career and the elite levels of the sport.

“I need to knock him out,” Joshua said. “I’m going to impose myself, come forward and land heavy punches. I’m going to make sure, expose him to certain tricks in boxing he may not have seen yet. I’m going to bring him to another school of boxing that I don’t think he’s been exposed to yet.”

Anthony Joshua vs. Jake Paul fight rules: Weight limit, gloves, and number of rounds

The Joshua vs. Paul bout is scheduled as a professional eight-round fight, consisting of:

• Eight 3-minute rounds
• 10-ounce gloves
• Heavyweight division rules

While the fight is officially a heavyweight matchup, reports suggest Joshua will not be allowed to exceed 245 pounds, a detail that adds more intrigue to the event.

Jake Paul typically competes at cruiserweight and has only fought at heavyweight once—against Mike Tyson. Facing a natural heavyweight like Joshua will push him far beyond his usual comfort zone.