Anthony Joshua has made it clear that he will not hold back against Jake Paul and stated that only a knockout will satisfy his desire for aggression.
The former heavyweight champion will face YouTuber Paul in a one-sided match in Miami on December 19, with Joshua set to earn up to £70 million for what is expected to be a mismatched contest. Joshua, who will be trained by Oleksandr Usyk’s team for the fight, emphasized that only a swift victory will be acceptable. “Simply defeating him won’t be enough for me; I must knock him out,” Joshua declared.
“I intend to inflict damage on him physically. I aim to demonstrate my superiority as a fighter and will continue to do so until I retire. I will enter the ring with the intention of causing harm. I want to inflict serious damage on him during the fight,” Joshua added.
“I will be aggressive and assert myself. I will deliver powerful blows and introduce him to certain boxing techniques that may be unfamiliar to him. I will expose him to a different level of boxing that he has not encountered before.”
Joshua also acknowledged Paul’s dedication to the sport, noting that Paul has fought professionally 13 times since his debut in 2020. “Jake is a legitimate fighter. Consider this: when I started boxing, I walked into the gym with my cousin, stating, ‘I can do this.’ Three years later, I competed in the Olympics,” Joshua reflected.
“He has been involved in this for five years. After three years, I was the underdog, with no one believing in me. You should never underestimate anyone.”
On the other hand, Paul expressed his willingness to go to extreme lengths to achieve what would be considered a major upset in boxing history. “No one ever imagined we would reach this point when I first began boxing,” Paul remarked.
“Nobody believes I can win, so add your name to the list and brace yourself for a surprise. I know I possess the power and timing required. It’s the unexpected shots that cause problems, and I am a skilled knockout artist; he needs to be cautious. I predict a knockout in the fourth or fifth round. I am prepared to give my all to win this fight.”