The British star has been tipped to make easy work of the YouTuber-turned-boxer when they meet in the ring in Miami, Florida, on December 19
KSI has reached out to Anthony Joshua ahead of his fight with Jake Paul, pleading for the Brit to brutally knock out his arch nemesis.
Joshua – who has not fought since his devastating knockout defeat to Daniel Dubois back in September 2024 – will make a stunning return to the ring on December 19 against the YouTuber-turned-boxer. Paul, a natural cruiserweight, will be making the move up to heavyweight for the second time in his career.
Paul’s previous experience at the aforementioned weight class came back in November 2024, when he out-pointed Mike Tyson. Since making his professional debut back in 2020, the ‘Problem Child’ has made a habit of calling out several stars and engaging in verbal spats with rivals.
Perhaps his biggest foe is KSI – real name Olajide Olayinka Williams. There pair have traded barbs, but have never settled their differences in the ring. An agreed weight has largely been the reason why a bout has failed to materialise. But now that the American’s return has been confirmed, KSI could not resist reaching out to Joshua – asking the heavyweight star to render his adversary unconscious.
Watch Jake vs Joshua live on Netflix for free
Anthony Joshua and Jake Paul will face off for a heavyweight clash in Miami on December 19. The fight will stream live on Netflix, which fans can get for free with Sky’s £15 Essential TV bundle, the brand’s ‘lowest ever price’ for Sky TV.
“Now we get to see Jake Paul get knocked out – fantastic. I messaged AJ being like, ‘Brother, knock this guy out,’” said KSI. “I want Jake to go into that ring and realise how f***ed he really is. I think Jake already knows, but I want Jake to truly fear the man that’s in front of him. I just want AJ to hit him with a stiff jab just so Jake knows what the f*** this is.”
He added: “When I was messaging AJ, he was like, ‘Yo, I didn’t know you hated him so much.’ It’s crazy, I think a lot of people think the beef between me and Jake isn’t real. But it’s real. Publicly, privately, it’s real.” Joshua’s clash with Paul will be a professional bout, contested over eight three-minute rounds – with both men set to wear 10oz gloves.
Joshua – who plans on a big 2026 in the ring, which includes a summer showdown with Tyson Fury – has warned his upcoming foe that he will not be taking it easy and has vowed to come out guns blazing. KSI believes the Brit needs a knockout, otherwise it’s a win for the ‘Problem Child’ should it go the distance.
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“Because let’s be honest, if this goes eight rounds, that’s a loss for AJ. I don’t even care if AJ wins, that’s a loss for AJ and that’s a win for Jake. Jake has to be on the floor in those eight rounds, repeatedly. I want a KO, I need it.” Whilst both KSI and Paul have long been at each other’s throats, despite the former being good pals with Paul’s older brother Logan, KSI tips his cap off to the boxing novice for having the guts to step in the ring with the two-time heavyweight champion.
“Jake, good luck with that. Fair play, fair play, bro. This is a big fight for you. Get your dollar, dollar, dollar bills, yo. [But] I hope you realise that you’re f***ed in that ring. And I will remind AJ every single day how important it is for you to get knocked out, Jake,” he concluded.
When is Anthony Joshua vs Jake Paul?
Anthony Joshua and Jake Paul will clash in Miami on December 19, just six days before Christmas. The pair will likely walk to the ring at around 11pm local time which would be 4am in the UK. Fight times are usually set to benefit the American audience and are subject to change depending on how long the undercard takes to complete. The event is set to be shown live on Netflix.
