BOXING fans are worried about Jake Paul’s chances of not just beating Anthony Joshua but actually surviving the fight.
The pair’s bout was confirmed on Monday with a date set for December 19 in Miami.
It will be Paul’s 14th fight on record after he won his last six in a row.
That run includes beating Mike Tyson 12 months ago but ends with the loss to Tommy Fury in February 2023.
Paul, 28, is up against a two-time heavyweight world champion despite only turning pro five years ago.
The YouTube personality was due to fight last week but it was cancelled after his opponent, Gervonta Davis, was accused of domestic abuse by his ex-girlfriend.
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Going via Eddie Hearn after a series of unsuccessful attempts to get Paul back in the ring before the end of the year, AJ’s name was landed on.
It is set to be shown on Netflix after the streaming giant made moves into the sport last year for Paul vs Tyson, drawing in more than 100million viewers.
DAZN are partners of both Paul and Joshua, which helped matters, but supporters are fearful about what they might see.
Paul is some five inches smaller than Joshua and weighs almost four stone less as a cruiserweight.
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America’s boxing regulations allow for much less stringent rules around match-ups, and that is what caught fans online.
One user on X wrote: “This young boy is about to lose his life…”
Another added: “He might decapitate him”.
One went a step further, saying simply: “Legalised murder”.
The same topic was picked up on by someone else, who said: “We might witness a murder live on Netflix”.
Somebody else continued: “Guess this is Jake’s retirement fight, cause ain’t no way A.J. doesn’t end up killing him in that ring.”
Paul has been open about his ambitions to go head-to-head with the Brit, saying on his podcast: “I want to fight Anthony Joshua – exclusive – because I know I will f***ing beat Anthony Joshua’s ass.
“He doesn’t have a chin, and he has no skill and he’s stiff. I love you Anthony, we’e friends, all this s*** but I want to fight you.”
The two have hit back at each other in a social media spat and Paul came out fighting after the announcement, saying:
“This isn’t an AI simulation. This is Judgment Day.
“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.”
Joshua, 36, has been out of action since losing to Daniel Dubois in September 2024.
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He has since has elbow surgery and will wear 10oz gloves for the clash with eight three-minute rounds.
There is a £100million prize pot and a weight limit of 245lbs, five heavier than the 250lbs Joshua has been over in his last five fights.
