Jake Paul is set to face Anthony Joshua in what should be a low-risk fight for the Brit, but there’s still plenty at stake for him.
Joshua stepped in for Gervonta Davis, who was originally scheduled to fight Paul before being pulled from the card. The unexpected switch turned a lot of attention back towards Joshua.
The reaction to the fight being announced was pretty much what you’d expect. Plenty of fans were quick to give credit to Paul for agreeing to take on someone with Joshua’s size and experience, even if they weren’t giving him much hope of winning.
Joe Rogan said he thinks Jake made a mistake by agreeing to the terms, but no matter how it came together, he’ll be up against a far more skilled and physically imposing opponent when they step into the ring on December 19th.
The narrative around this fight is that it’s heavily one-sided. That means there’s now pressure on Joshua not just to win, but to do so convincingly. Anything less could raise some awkward questions about his performance.
Dan Hardy thinks one slip-up could hurt Anthony Joshua’s reputation
It’s clear from the reaction to Anthony Joshua’s physique that the fight on December 19 is already being viewed as unbalanced, and that’s before considering his credentials as a two-time heavyweight champion and Olympic gold medalist.
Joshua has acknowledged the pressure, stating that he needs to “destroy” Jake Paul to meet expectations. Dan Hardy agrees that this dynamic works in Paul’s favour, as long as he avoids being knocked out—a task easier said than done.
The former UFC fighter pointed to Tyson Fury’s controversial win over Francis Ngannou as an example of how even a victory can backfire if expectations aren’t met. Although Fury came out on top, what most remember is him being dropped by the former UFC champion.
Hardy believes that even a small moment of success for Paul could become the defining narrative of their fight.
“This layers pressure on Anthony Joshua,” Hardy told Bloody Elbow ahead of PFL Lyon on December 13. “Of course, everyone’s going to expect Joshua to absolutely smash him but if Jake Paul at some point gets a bit close and connects on his chin and he wobbles just a little bit, like man, the brand of Anthony Joshua is going to shake alongside his legs and that’s not a good thing for him.”
Jake Paul’s strategy is already taking shape, according to Dan Hardy
Dan Hardy pointed out that Jake Paul has already started planting this idea in people’s minds during their first face-off.
He noted that ‘The Problem Child’ made a point of highlighting the noticeable height difference between them, which only adds to the perception that he has little hope in the fight.
“He did it at the face off,” Hardy recalled. “I thought it was a very clever, well thought out process of him walking up to him, looking him in the eyes and then looking at his chest like, ‘This is actually how big I am compared to this guy.’”
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