Anthony Joshua is set to face Jake Paul in a relatively short-notice and extremely controversial clash in just over three weeks’ time. Ahead of the bout, promoter Eddie Hearn has revealed how much weight Joshua must cut.
The announcement of Paul vs Joshua has taken social media by storm, as many fans predict a devastating defeat for the YouTuber-turned-boxer, who is yet to take on an active heavyweight in his career but faces a two-time champion of the division here.
Further details of the contest have since been released, which reaffirm the bout as a professional one, with 10-ounce gloves and eight three-minute rounds, but one clause that caught the eye was the 245lb weight limit for ‘AJ’.
Speaking with BBC Radio 5 Live, Hearn admitted that he lied about Joshua’s current weight during negotiations but declared that Joshua must still drop around 20 pounds before the December fight date.
“I spoke to [Joshua], and he was sitting at 265 pounds or something like that. I think I told Nakisa [Bidarian] that he was 290 pounds or something like that.
“I said I’m not interested in balloon gloves and two-minute rounds, but he said it was a real fight. I asked if it was 10 rounds or eight rounds, they said fine to eight.
“They said, ‘the only thing is that Jake will weigh about 220 pounds, and we want AJ to come down in weight.’
“He’s a heavyweight and hasn’t cut weight before. They said, ‘look, we’re not being funny and it’s not that we need an advantage, but we need you to have some disadvantage.'”
Paul vs. Joshua will take place on Friday, December 19, at the Kaseya Center in Miami, as ‘AJ’ seeks a first ever victory on U.S. soil.
