Fans worry Jake Paul’s controversial combat towards Anthony Joshua might be CALLED OFF after cryptic put up from the YouTuber
Jake Paul has sparked speculation his controversial fight against Anthony Joshua could be called off after posting a very cryptic tweet on Monday evening.
The unlikely opponents are set to go head-to-head on December 19 after the American YouTuber’s original opponent, Gervonta Davis, was forced to pull out amid allegations of battery and kidnapping made by an ex-girlfriend.
Joshua was later announced as a step-in to much fanfare last month, though many questioned whether a fight between a two-time heavyweight world champion and a cruiserweight YouTuber would even be safe, let alone fair.
Now, just over a week out from the contest, doubt has been cast over whether the bout in Miami will go ahead after the tweet from Paul.
The 28-year-old brother of Logan posted on X: ‘9AM EST Tuesday. Major update. Had to be done. It is what it is.’
It left hundreds of fans fearing the bout will no longer be taking place, with some taking to the comments section to give their thoughts ahead of the trailed announcement, set for 2pm UK time.
Jake Paul has sparked fears that his fight against Anthony Joshua next week could be called off
The 28-year-old took to X, formerly known as Twitter, on Monday to post a cryptic message
‘Just tell us you’re dropping out already bro,’ one wrote.
‘Oh god, fight cancelled,’ quipped another.
While one fan posted: ‘YOU BEST NOT SAY THE FIGHT IS CANCELLED.’
And a final fan questioned: ‘Come to your senses? Before AJ knocks them out.’
The professionally sanctioned fight would see 6ft 6in Joshua and 6ft 2in Paul contest eight three-minute rounds if it goes the distance, though few expect that to be the case.
Promoter Eddie Hearn has admitted he and Joshua will have no choice but to retire if the Brit doesn’t ‘obliterate’ Paul, who is more famed for his exploits on YouTube than in the ring and previously lost to Tyson Fury’s little brother, Tommy.
Hearn has also warned Paul that he could ‘get seriously hurt’ against the taller and heavier Joshua, who boasts a reach some six inches longer than the American.
Joshua has weighed more than 250lbs in each of his last five fights, but it was believed to be approximately 265lbs when he took the fight – requiring him to drop 20lbs to reach the 245lbs weight limit for the fight later this month.
If the fight goes ahead, the duo will contest eight three-minute rounds in a professionally sanctioned bout
Hundreds of fans took to the comments section of Paul’s post speculating the contest could be cancelled
He’s not fought in more than a year since his knockout loss to Daniel Dubois in September 2024, but Hearn is confident his boxer will make the weight class.
‘I spoke to [Joshua] and he was sitting at 265 pounds or something like that. I think I told Nakisa that he was 290 pounds or something like that,’ he told BBC 5 Live.
‘I said I’m not interested in balloon gloves and two-minute rounds but he said it was a real fight. I asked if it was 10 rounds or eight rounds, they said fine to eight.
‘They 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.”‘
Many had speculated that his return could be against Tyson Fury in a fight which has been the talk of much speculation in recent years, however AJ announced his next opponent would be Paul in November.
Joshua has adjusted his training set-up for his big return, working alongside the team behind two-time unified heavyweight world champion Oleksandr Usyk, who beat him on points in 2021 and 2022.
It’s a decision which has drawn criticism from some quarters, in particular from British boxer Dillian Whyte.
AJ’s promoter Eddie Hearn has sensationally claimed he and the Brit will retire if they lose in Miami
Joshua hasn’t stepped into the ring since his loss to Daniel Dubois in September 2024
The 37-year-old, who has faced AJ twice in his career, claimed his former rival is ‘lost’ heading into the Paul fight.
It seems like he’s wandering, he’s a bit lost, it seems like he’s looking for something that he’s not going to find in a boxing trainer,’ Whyte said. ‘He needs to find it within himself, deep down within himself. No boxing trainer can help him with it.’
‘He seems lost at the moment. He’s over here training with one guy and then next he’s over there training with Usyk. I mean bro, I’m not going to go and train with Ben Davison now because I lost to Moses Itauma.
‘You don’t go training with Usyk’s trainer because you lost to Usyk. You have to find what works best for you. Usyk’s got a completely different style so why does he think that’s going to work for him?
‘Obviously you can have experience, skills and what not but it’s confidence. If you’re not confident, there is no point going into the fight. I am always confident, I always believe in myself but sometimes you need extreme confidence and AJ doesn’t have that at the moment.’
