Jake Paul may be rethinking the challenge ahead of him as his December 19 showdown with Anthony Joshua approaches. From the start, analysts have pointed to the massive size difference as one of the biggest dangers Paul faces in this crossover bout.
Paul, who last fought at the 200-pound cruiserweight limit, weighed 227.2 pounds for his November 2024 bout with Mike Tyson and is likely to come in somewhere between 220 and 230 pounds against Joshua.
Joshua, meanwhile, has a contracted weigh-in cap of 245 pounds but can enter the ring significantly heavier—something that has long made him one of the most powerful heavyweights in the division.
This week, promoter Eddie Hearn added fuel to the discussion with comments about Joshua’s current physique, raising serious questions about whether Paul fully understood the challenge he signed up for.
Jake Paul and Anthony Joshua face off during the press conference about their exhibition match. Leonardo Fernandez/Getty Images
Hearn reveals Joshua’s true weight situation
Hearn said he recently spoke with Joshua and shared surprising information. “I spoke to [Joshua] and he was sitting at 265 pounds or something like that. I think I told [Paul’s business partner] Nakisa that he was 290 pounds or something like that.” He said, according to ESPN.
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He also detailed the concerns from Paul’s team: “[Paul’s team] said: ‘The only thing is that Jake will weigh about 220 pounds and we want AJ to come down in weight.‘ He’s a heavyweight and hasn’t cut weight before. They said: ‘Look we’re not being funny and it’s not that we need an advantage but we need you to have some disadvantage.'”
Hearn hinted that Paul’s camp might have preferred Joshua to be heavier when negotiations began, suggesting that a higher weight would indicate less preparation and more cutting required to reach the 245-pound limit.
Joshua’s scale video raises red flags for Paul
On December 4, Joshua posted a video stepping on a scale, showing 110.6 kg, or 243.8 pounds—already under the contracted limit, more than two weeks before fight night. He captioned it: “They must have forgot. I’m used to dealing with big weights & scales. 243.8lbs.”
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This early weight reveal confirms that Joshua is deep into training and will enter the ring fully conditioned, not drained or cutting late. For Paul, that means facing a heavyweight who is not only significantly larger, but also close to peak physical form—a scenario that casts serious doubt on any hopes of an upset.
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