Jake Paul leaned fully into showmanship at the official weigh-in for his crossover bout against Anthony Joshua, delivering a strange wrestling-style warning while mimicking WWE legend Hulk Hogan. The theatrics added fuel to one of boxing’s most talked-about matchups, set to take place in Miami.
The weigh-in highlighted a stark physical mismatch. Paul came in at 98.2kg, while former two-time unified heavyweight champion Joshua tipped the scales at 110.4kg — roughly 12 kilograms heavier and visibly taller. Despite the gulf, Paul insisted he’s ready for the challenge, promising chaos once the bell rings.
“You listen to me brother, when the ring bells, I’m coming in there,” he shouted, echoing classic pro-wrestling bravado. Paul said he will even enter the ring in a Hogan-inspired outfit.
The American, coming off a controversial win over Mike Tyson last year, has framed the fight as one of the biggest potential upsets in sports history. At Thursday’s press event, he claimed he’s “more important” to boxing than Joshua, arguing that his popularity has driven new fans to the sport.
Joshua, meanwhile, is determined to avoid a repeat of his 2019 upset loss to Andy Ruiz — the last time he fought in the United States. He dismissed comparisons, saying he has evolved since then and sees beating Paul as part of his responsibility to protect the sport’s integrity.
“For the purists, I get it,” Joshua said. “People want an end to the Jake Paul show. I’m carrying boxing on my back with this fight.”
Paul countered once more, asserting that his influence has been unmatched over the past decade. With tensions high and expectations divided, Saturday night’s clash is shaping up as one of the most polarising heavyweight events in recent memory.
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