On Friday, Jake Paul and Anthony Joshua came face-to-face for the first time, ahead of their bizarre boxing match in December.
In just one month, Joshua will fight Paul at the Kaseya Center in Miami, as the former two-time world heavyweight champion boxes the social-media star in a professional bout. The contest, which will stream live on Netflix on 19 December, is scheduled for eight three-minute rounds. Knockouts will be allowed, and each man will wear standard 10oz gloves.
The fight sees Joshua, 36, aiming to bounce back from his brutal defeat by Daniel Dubois in September 2024, and he could yet keep alive an all-British megafight with Tyson Fury.
Meanwhile, 28-year-old Paul has perhaps found a way to outdo his seismic but controversial fight with heavyweight legend Mike Tyson from 12 months ago – when Tyson was 58 years old. Paul is 12-1 as a pro boxer including his points win over Tyson, but the American has never faced a foe like Joshua.
And on Friday, the opponents faced off at a press conference in Miami, where Paul vowed to win within five rounds and Joshua revealed another change of trainer. Re-live the press conference below.
Jake Paul vs Anthony Joshua press conference live
- Jake Paul and Anthony Joshua came face-to-face at launch press conference
- Former two-time heavyweight champion Joshua fights YouTuber-turned-boxer Paul on 19 December
- Pair will clash in Miami, where today’s press conference took place, in a pro heavyweight fight
- Bout is scheduled for eight three-minute rounds with standard 10oz gloves; KOs are allowed
- Comment: Will boxing fans ever accept Paul? ‘AJ’ fight will finally provide answer
- Joshua confirmed another change of trainer, but who is ‘Igor’ from Team Usyk?
Anthony Joshua confirms surprise change of trainer for Jake Paul fight
19:21 , Alex PattleHere is arguably the biggest takeaway from tonight’s press conference: Joshua’s revelation that he will change trainer again for his bout with Paul.
Joshua said he had the go-ahead from recent coach Ben Davison to train with Team Usyk, and that someone from that team will guide him this month.
But who is “Igor”???
Anthony Joshua confirms surprise change of trainer for Jake Paul fight
Jake Paul vs Anthony Joshua press conference live
19:29 , Alex Pattle
Jake Paul vs Anthony Joshua press conference live
19:13 , Alex Pattle
Jake Paul vs Anthony Joshua press conference live
19:06 , Alex Pattle
Jake Paul vs Anthony Joshua press conference live
19:00 , Alex Pattle
Jake Paul vs Anthony Joshua press conference live
18:53 , Alex PattleThat’s all from the press conference!
Just one month separates us from this bizarre but MASSIVE bout...
Jake Paul vs Anthony Joshua press conference live
18:47 , Alex PattlePaul: “I think fourth or fifth-round knockout by me.”
Joshua: “Damn.”
Jake Paul vs Anthony Joshua press conference live
18:45 , Alex PattleJoshua: “I wanna be up, just as much as people wanna see me down.
“I’m just hungry, devoted, dedicated. That’s why I’m chasing, chasing, give me more.
“Ben Davison said 100 per cent, that’s a great move [to go to Team Usyk]. They’re killing me, drilling me.”
Jake Paul vs Anthony Joshua press conference live
18:43 , Alex PattleJoshua: “I’m very durable, I’m gonna come forward and impose myself. I’m gonna land heavy punches and expose him to certain tricks in boxing that he maybe hasn’t seen yet. I’m gonna bring him to a different school of boxing that he maybe hasn’t been exposed to yet.”
Paul says he has a “lion heart” and has sparred with world champion Shakur Stevenson, so he believes he knows the tricks to which AJ is alluding.
Jake Paul vs Anthony Joshua press conference live
18:39 , Alex PattleJoshua: “I don’t really have any complaints on what was presented to me [contractually]. My focus was who, what when?
“For me, eight rounds was neither here nor there. The minute the first bell goes, it’s just as dangerous as the 12th round.
“I’ve just got to be switched on for as long as it lasts.”
Jake Paul vs Anthony Joshua press conference live
18:35 , Alex Pattle“I’m not worried about what Tyson Fury’s got to say,” Joshua says. “It ain’t even about the money. I’m focusing on myself.”
He’s referring to a question about Fury perhaps betting £1m on Paul to win.
Jake Paul vs Anthony Joshua press conference live
18:33 , Alex PattlePaul reiterates that he believes he will knock out AJ.
“I’m ready to die to win this fight,” Paul says.
Jake Paul vs Anthony Joshua press conference live
18:32 , Alex PattleJoshua: “As I said to Jake respectfully, I need to cut him up, break him up, hurt him. There’s nothing else to it.”
Jake Paul vs Anthony Joshua press conference live
18:32 , Alex PattleJoshua: “Jake is a serious fighter. Look at it this way: when I came into boxing, I walked into the gym with my cousin, I said, ‘I can do this;’ three years later I went to the Olympics.
“He’s been doing this for five years. After three years, I was the underdog, no one believed in me. You can’t underestimate anyone.”
Jake Paul vs Anthony Joshua press conference live
18:30 , Alex Pattle“He’s a dumbass, he’s a joke, he’s stuck in the mud,” Paul says of Ngannou, whom he called out – but who said he was not interested in facing Paul.
Jake Paul vs Anthony Joshua press conference live
18:29 , Alex PattleJoshua seems very relaxed, very confident. He’s laughing along at things Paul is saying about other figures in boxing.
Jake Paul vs Anthony Joshua press conference live
18:26 , Alex PattleJoshua: “I take him seriously. I’m gonna give him the respect he deserves.
“I’m confident in myself. I’m not gonna crumble. I’m solid. I’ve been through wars, and I’m still standing super-strong.”
Jake Paul vs Anthony Joshua press conference live
18:25 , Alex PattleJoshua says he was due to fight this weekend against someone on Paul’s team!
“He’s in Jake Paul’s camp!” Joshua says.
Cassius Chaney, Paul clarifies. “I already whooped that ass, sorry, Cassius.”
Joshua: “That was gonna be in Saudi Arabia, not even announce it but just turn up: ring walk, ‘what’s he doing, no announcement?!’”
Joshua also says he wanted to fight this weekend in Saudi AND against Paul on 19 December.
Jake Paul vs Anthony Joshua press conference live
18:23 , Alex PattleJoshua: “I’m not above the challenge, I’ve got to work hard, keep my head down. I’ve got four weeks, I’ve got to put the work in.
“I’ve got to come in under the radar, do the promotional agreements I’ve signed up to do – nothing more, nothing less – and get the job done.”
Jake Paul vs Anthony Joshua press conference live
18:22 , Alex PattlePaul: “I just know I have the power and timing, it’s the shots you don’t see coming that knock you out. I’m a tricky knockout artist that people don’t give me credit for. I do have the timing, the speed, the tricks up my sleeve.”
Jake Paul vs Anthony Joshua press conference live
18:21 , Alex PattleJoshua: “I’m not there to try to knock Jake out in 10 seconds or eight rounds. I’m there to do a job.
“I’m gonna wanna really hurt him in the ring.
“I’m not here [to reintroduce myself to American fans]. I’m here to do a job.”
Jake Paul vs Anthony Joshua press conference live
18:20 , Alex Pattle“This is Andy Ruiz 2.0,” Paul says, referencing Joshua’s shock stoppage by the Mexican-American in 2019.
Joshua: “I’m gonna break his face, I’m gonna break his body up, I’m gonna stomp all over him. That’s my mentality.”
Joshua is coy on a potential fight with Tyson Fury. He says no fights are signed for 2026.
Jake Paul vs Anthony Joshua press conference live
18:19 , Alex PattleJoshua: “No, I won’t be trained by Ben Davison. I said that London’s a bit distracting to me.
“I was invited to train with Team [Oleksandr] Usyk, so we’ve been doing some good training in Spain. He’s one of the best in the world, it’s also down to his team.”
Joshua says “Igor” will be his head coach on 19 December. I don’t actually know of any Igor on Usyk’s coaching team...
“I don’t spar with Usyk. He’s been somewhere else. He’s in and out of camp,” Joshua adds.
Jake Paul vs Anthony Joshua press conference live
18:16 , Alex PattleJoshua acknowledges the 245lb weight limit for him, relating to the day before the fight. He says he’ll aim to hit that, and anything above that is a bonus.
AJ also acknowledges he had elbow surgery earlier this year, and that he was cleared eight months ago.
“It’s been a whirlwind, I’ve been trying to create businesses on the side. [But] I’ve decided to shut down a lot of business, realigned my vision board, consolidated a lot of things, trimmed down my team.
“I said I needed 12 months to do that.”
Jake Paul vs Anthony Joshua press conference live
18:14 , Alex PattlePaul: “I’m playing with house money.
“I’ve never been knocked down or knocked out, even in sparring.
“I know this is dangerous. If I take one of those punches that [Francis] Ngannou took, let’s see how tough I am; let’s see if I can get back up.
“This is not as one-sided a fight as people think. I have power, I have the ability to put people to sleep.
“I know it’s crazy, but I’m genuinely excited.”
Paul was referring to AJ’s KO of Ngannou last year; Joshua dropped the ex-UFC heavyweight champ three times en route to a quickfire win.
Jake Paul vs Anthony Joshua press conference live
18:13 , Alex PattleJoshua: “I just address people that are for me, not people who are against me. I just focus on people who believe in me. [Detractors] don’t even come into my psyche.”
Joshua says he likes Paul’s chain. Paul says he might put it on the line, if AJ puts something of his own on the line.
Joshua says he only sees good things in Paul, nothing negative.
Jake Paul vs Anthony Joshua press conference live
18:12 , Alex PattlePaul: “He’s one of the best heavyweights ever, but I believe fighting a smaller man is sometimes difficult because of the speed difference, the head being off the centre.
“I just have to avoid that one shot for eight rounds, and I believe I can do that, so when I’m bouncing around the ring, jabbing, weaving and doing all these things... I know I can pick him apart and score points.”
Jake Paul vs Anthony Joshua press conference live
18:11 , Alex PattleJoshua: “I don’t think Jake’s crazy, I think he’s a logical person. He’s got good people around him who know something about Jake – something that maybe we don’t know.
“All he needs is belief in himself, all I need is belief in myself. That’s why you’ve got us two sat up here and no one else.
“Good luck to him.”
Jake Paul vs Anthony Joshua press conference live
18:10 , Alex PattleJoshua: “You’ve got to give credit to Jake and his team. They reached out to me, to be fair
“It was a great opportunity for me, it’s an opportunity for me to fight. I wanted to take 12 months out of the game, and I’ve done that, so it was time to get back to work.
“I was planning to fight anyway, I would’ve been fighting this weekend if I had it my way.
“It’s great, it’s massive, it’s colossal. It’s bringing big news. We’re bringing marketability together with ability – those two worlds.”
Jake Paul vs Anthony Joshua press conference live
18:07 , Alex PattlePaul: “I like to challenge myself, take on the biggest, the best. I truly mean that.
“I’m here to shock the world, I know what I’m capable of, I see him and what he’s capable of. We’re gonna go to war.
“People say he’s out of his mind; I’ve gotten to where I’m at today because of delusional optimism.”
Jake Paul vs Anthony Joshua press conference live
18:05 , Alex PattleHere comes Joshua.
The Briton, 36, has a professional record of 28-4, including 25 KO wins and 2 KO losses.
“AJ” looks BIG.
Now here comes Paul, 28.
The American has a pro record of 12-1, including 7 KO wins.
He looks significantly smaller than his foe on 19 December.
Jake Paul vs Anthony Joshua press conference live
18:03 , Alex PattleJournalist Ariel Helwani is hosting the press conference, which takes place at the fight venue itself: Miami’s Kaseya Center.
Helwani gets things under way!
Jake Paul vs Anthony Joshua press conference live
18:01 , Alex PattleOkay, the fighters should be making their way to the stage any minute now...
Jake Paul vs Anthony Joshua press conference: T-minus 10 minutes
17:51 , Alex PattleOkay, we’re about 10 minutes from the start of tonight’s press conference.
Don’t go anywhere; we’ll keep you updated with everything important (and/or bewildering) that is said!
Comment: Will boxing ever accept Paul? Joshua fight will answer difficult question
17:37 , Alex PattleWhy do you hate Jake Paul? If you rack your brain, does a legitimate answer rattle around? Feel free to pause for thought before glancing at or scrolling down to the link below – no one is in a rush here; Paul, like it or not, isn’t going anywhere.
And the questions above are not meant to be condescending, honestly. We’re going to try to get to the bottom of this by the time you reach the bottom of this article:
The difficult Jake Paul question that Anthony Joshua fight will finally answer
Paul and Joshua’s private talk: The inside story of the weirdest fight ever
17:26 , Alex PattleOn Tuesday 11 November, upstairs in the glassy confines of The Pelligon – an event space in Canary Wharf, London – Anthony Joshua’s promoter made a curious statement to The Independent and other members of the media.
“We will make a decision this week on Anthony’s next fight,” Eddie Hearn, the Matchroom boss, began, addressing the huddle of reporters. That, of course, was not the curious part. “If he fights this year, you probably won’t even hear about it. We would literally rock up on fight week.
“The whole point is to not have to come and do [media] – just chill out, turn up on the Wednesday or Thursday, weigh in, wrap your hands, and go and fight.” That was fascinating, but still not the point in question.
The key words were these: “Unless it’s Jake Paul.”
Special report on Paul vs Joshua, featuring interviews with Hearn and Paul’s business partner, Nakisa Bidarian:
How Paul and Joshua’s private talk helped make the weirdest fight ever
Tyson Fury’s Jake Paul vs Anthony Joshua prediction re-emerges
17:14 , Alex PattleIt was in July that rumours first swirled of a bout between Joshua and Paul.
And at the time, Joshua’s distant rival Tyson Fury told The Ring magazine: “I don’t know about [it being a] tune-up, I think Jake Paul knocks him out.
“I think that AJ is a spent force, and I think Jake Paul is on the rise. I like his new heavyweight look. He is a bit chubby, a bit bulky, he is getting there.”
Fury’s half-brother Tommy, the only person to have beaten Paul, also commented on December’s showdown – and claims that he turned down a short-notice rematch with the YouTuber...
Tyson Fury’s Jake Paul vs Anthony Joshua prediction re-emerges as Tommy reacts
What have Jake Paul and Anthony Joshua said about the fight?
17:03 , Alex PattleJoshua has vowed to chase a KO of Paul, saying in a press release on Monday: “Jake or anyone can get this work, no mercy.
“I took some time out and I’m coming back with a mega show. It’s a big opportunity for me. Whether you like it or not, I’m here to do massive numbers, have big fights and break every record while keeping cool, calm and collected.
“Mark my words, you’ll see a lot more fighters take these opportunities in the future. I’m about to break the internet over Jake Paul’s face.”
“This isn’t an AI simulation, this is Judgment Day,” added Paul. “A professional heavyweight fight against an elite world champion in his prime. When I beat Anthony Joshua, every doubt disappears, and no one can deny me the opportunity to fight for a world title.
“To all my haters, this is what you wanted. To the people of the United Kingdom, I am sorry. On Friday December 19, under the lights in Miami, live globally only on Netflix, the torch gets passed and Britain’s Goliath gets put to sleep.”
Jake Paul vs Anthony Joshua undercard revealed
16:51 , Alex PattleTonight’s press conference follows this afternoon’s announcement of the undercard for 19 December.
Two of Paul’s former opponents will square off, as former UFC champions Anderson Silva and Tyron Woodley clash.
Also in Miami, unified super-featherweight champion Alycia Baumgardner defends her titles against Leila Beaudoin, who aims to seize the IBF and WBO belts.
That contest will serve as the evening’s co-main event. More women’s world titles will be on the line, too.
Full card; ‘C’ denotes champion:
Anthony Joshua vs Jake Paul (heavyweight)
Alycia Baumgardner (C) vs Leila Beaudoin (IBF, WBO women’s super-featherweight titles)
Anderson Silva vs Tyron Woodley (cruiserweight)
Cherneka Johnson (C) vs Amanda Galle (IBF, WBC, WBO women’s bantamweight titles)
Yokasta Valle (C) vs Yadira Bustillos (WBC women’s strawweight title)
Avious Griffin vs Justin Cardona (welterweight)
Keno Marley vs Diarra Davis Jr (cruiserweight)
Jake Paul vs Anthony Joshua undercard revealed as UFC icons and world champs feature
Jake Paul vs Anthony Joshua rules explained
16:35 , Alex PattleThe bout will not be an exhibition but rather a professional contest, meaning the result will go on each man’s record and a knockout is possible.
However, the heavyweight fight is scheduled for eight three-minute rounds, making it shorter than most main-event matches on the men’s side of the sport.
Furthermore, Joshua will be capped at 245lb on the day before the fight. Yet each man will wear standard 10oz gloves rather than any larger, more forgiving pairs.
When does Jake Paul vs Anthony Joshua press conference begin?
16:20 , Alex PattleTonight’s press conference is due to begin at 6pm GMT – 1am local time in Miami.
That’s the same time that the Paul vs Joshua undercard will begin on 19 December, in the same city.
Jake Paul vs Anthony Joshua press conference live
16:03 , Alex PattleToday, Jake Paul and Anthony Joshua will come face-to-face for the first time, ahead of their bizarre boxing match in December.
In just one month, Joshua will fight Paul at the Kaseya Center in Miami, as the former two-time world heavyweight champion boxes the social-media star in a professional bout. The contest, which will stream live on Netflix on 19 December, is scheduled for eight three-minute rounds. Knockouts will be allowed, and each man will wear standard 10oz gloves.
The fight sees Joshua, 36, aiming to bounce back from his brutal defeat by Daniel Dubois in September 2024, and he could yet keep alive an all-British megafight with Tyson Fury.
Meanwhile, 28-year-old Paul has perhaps found a way to outdo his seismic but controversial fight with heavyweight legend Mike Tyson from 12 months ago – when Tyson was 58 years old. Paul is 12-1 as a pro boxer including his points win over Tyson, but the American has never faced a foe like Joshua.
And today, the opponents will face off at a press conference in Miami. Follow live updates right here.
