Anthony Joshua has made it clear that he will not go easy on Jake Paul and emphasized that only a knockout victory will satisfy his desire for aggression. The former heavyweight world champion is set to face YouTuber Paul in what is expected to be a one-sided contest on December 19 in Miami, with Joshua earning up to £70 million for the bout, which many view as a showcase for the Olympic champion.
Joshua, who will be trained by Oleksandr Usyk’s team for the fight, acknowledged that a mere win would not be enough for him; he expressed the need to knock out his opponent. “It’s not enough for me to simply defeat him; I must knock him out,” he stated.
“I intend to inflict damage on him physically. I aim to demonstrate my superiority as a fighter and will continue to do so as long as I compete. I will approach the fight with the intention to cause harm. I want to inflict significant pain on him in the ring,” Joshua added.
“I will be aggressive and assertive. I will deliver powerful blows and introduce him to certain techniques in boxing that he may not have encountered before. I will expose him to a different level of boxing that he may not have experienced yet.”
Joshua also showed respect for his opponent, acknowledging Paul’s professional experience with 13 fights since his debut in 2020. “Jake is a legitimate fighter. Consider this: when I started boxing, I walked into the gym with my cousin, believing that I could succeed; three years later, I was at the Olympics,” Joshua remarked.
“He has been in this sport for five years. In my third year, I was considered an underdog with no one supporting me. You should never underestimate anyone.”
On the other hand, Paul claimed that he is prepared to go to extreme lengths to achieve the greatest upset in boxing history. “No one believed we could reach this point when I first entered the boxing scene,” he said.
“Everyone doubts my chances of winning, so add your name to the list and get ready to be surprised. I trust in my power and timing. It’s the unexpected strikes that make the difference, and I am a skilled knockout artist; he needs to be cautious. I predict a knockout in the fourth or fifth round. I am willing to go to any lengths to win this fight.”