Former WBC heavyweight champion Deontay Wilder has sparked debate ahead of Anthony Joshua’s highly anticipated showdown with Jake Paul, hinting that the fight may have been carefully staged.
Speaking to FightHub TV before the fight on December 19 at the Kaseya Centre in Miami, Wilder questioned the authenticity of the heavyweight contest between the two-time unified champion Joshua and YouTuber-turned-boxer Paul.
The fight marks another bold step for Paul, who shocked the boxing world in 2024 when he defeated former heavyweight great Mike Tyson after the latter came out of retirement. However, Deontay Wilder believes stepping into the ring with an active and elite fighter like Joshua presents a completely different level of danger.
“In my opinion, I think it’s (the fight between Jake Paul and Anthony Joshua) scripted a little bit because of the weight difference, and Joshua is active. This is going to be the first time that we see (Jake) Paul fighting an active fighter,” Wilder said.
“We’ve seen him with Mike Tyson, that was all fun, that was cute…but now you’re dealing with a real professional, so we’ll see how it ends up.”
The bout is expected to be a major commercial event, with Joshua and Paul reportedly set to earn at least $40 million each. The eight-round fight will be contested using 10-ounce gloves, while regulations state that Joshua must not weigh more than 245 pounds on fight night.
Despite the hype, the professionally sanctioned heavyweight contest has sparked serious concern within boxing circles. Naija News reports that Muhammad Ali’s grandson, Nico Ali, alongside former world champion Amir Khan, have both warned that Paul could be putting his life at risk by facing a fighter of Joshua’s calibre.
