Former Heavyweight Champ Smells Something Fishy in Jake Paul vs. Anthony Joshua
The boxing world inches closer to what could be one of 2025’s most controversial spectacles as Jake Paul is set to face Anthony Joshua on December 19 at the Kaseya Center in Miami, with the eight-round heavyweight bout scheduled to stream live on Netflix. As the fight approaches, former two-time heavyweight champion Shannon Briggs has raised questions about whether the matchup might not be what it appears on the surface.
Fix Concerns From a Two-Time Heavyweight Champion Ahead of Jake Paul vs. Anthony Joshua
Briggs, who trained Jake Paul early in his boxing journey, spoke in an interview with Bloody Elbow. He articulated a skepticism that echoes through boxing circles whenever a significant talent gap exists between competitors. His comments centered on one core uncertainty: what exactly happens when the bell rings.
“I don’t know what they got arranged. I don’t know if he’s going to go light on him or he’s going to go all out. We’re going to see, though. I want to see, for sure,” Briggs said. For a bout positioned as a major Netflix event, questions about legitimacy carry weight, especially when the skill disparity seems pronounced.
Briggs then turned his focus to what he views as the critical threshold for the fight’s credibility. Joshua, the 36-year-old former two-time heavyweight champion, possesses knockout power that defined his career across years of competition. The British fighter stands approximately three inches taller than Paul and carries a significant advantage in professional experience, having faced the world’s elite competition throughout his tenure at heavyweight.
“I can’t believe it. It’s funny that it’s happening. Joshua is a big guy, taller than me, strong. If he don’t knock him out in the first round, I’m going to start smelling fishes,” Briggs continued, his language revealing a fighter’s eye for detecting mismatches.
On one level, Briggs’ assessment that a legitimate Joshua, fighting at full capacity, should dispose of Paul quickly given the experience and physical differences. On another, it reflects boxing’s longstanding cynicism about predetermined outcomes or contractual arrangements that might compromise competitive integrity.
Paul enters the fight with a 12-1 professional record, including seven knockouts, but his opposition has largely consisted of retired fighters, celebrities, and aging boxing personalities rather than active world-class competition. Joshua, returning after a fifteen-month layoff following his knockout loss to Daniel Dubois in September 2024, represents a dramatic step up in opposition quality. Yet questions linger about Joshua’s motivation, his physical condition after such extended time away, and the financial arrangements that might influence how both fighters approach the bout.
Briggs’ connection to Paul gives his observations particular resonance. He witnessed the YouTuber’s early development in boxing, training him when Paul was transitioning from online content creation to the sport. This insider perspective positions Briggs as someone who understands Paul’s capabilities beyond what casual observers might recognize, yet he still expresses clear skepticism about the integrity of what’s scheduled to unfold.
