Miami: English boxing promoter Frank Warren has issued a strong warning to former heavyweight world champion Anthony Joshua ahead of his highly anticipated showdown with Jake Paul on December 19 in Miami.
The upcoming bout has sparked mixed reactions across the boxing community. While many believe Paul could be severely outmatched by a larger and far more experienced opponent, others are applauding the American for stepping up to face a former unified world champion.
Warren, speaking to Seconds Out, said that despite the criticism surrounding Paul’s boxing journey, the YouTuber-turned-fighter deserves genuine recognition for his progress and commitment.
“You’ve got to take your hat off to Jake Paul. He’s taken some unfair criticism. He may have come from social media fame, but he has applied himself, trained as a real fighter and jumped straight into the deep end without amateur experience,” Warren said.
Although Joshua enters the fight as the undisputed favourite, the veteran promoter insists Paul’s courage cannot be ignored.
“Joshua is a huge favourite — he’s an Olympic gold medalist and vastly experienced — but if this fight takes place, Paul deserves serious credit for accepting it.”
Warren then delivered a stern caution to Joshua, highlighting the potential consequences if Paul manages to land a decisive shot.
“If Jake Paul catches him or knocks him over, that’s the end of Joshua’s legacy. In his last fight against Daniel Dubois, how many times did he hit the canvas — five or six? I genuinely believe that whoever catches AJ has a chance.”
With the countdown to Miami underway, the clash continues to fuel debate — courage versus class, risk versus reward.
