To defeat Anthony Joshua, Jake Paul is bringing in Dubois… No, not that Dubois
Jake Paul’s mysterious Tuesday morning update got everyone jumping to conclusions. The YouTuber-turned-boxer had posted cryptically about some major announcement, and for a moment, fans genuinely thought he’d bailed on Anthony Joshua. But when the smoke cleared, Paul had a different story to tell. He wasn’t pulling out. He was building.
Jake Paul and Dubois
On Monday, Paul revealed his new move on X, stating “All I want is a fair fight. Even the odds. Joshua brought in Usyk. So only right I bring in Dubois. Had to be done.” The language sparked immediate confusion across boxing Twitter. Most assumed he meant Daniel Dubois, the heavyweight champion who knocked out Joshua at Wembley in September 2024. But Paul was talking about someone else entirely, Caroline Dubois, the 24-year-old WBC lightweight champion and Daniel’s sister.
The Dubois family connection runs deep in British boxing. Daniel sits at the heavyweight pinnacle with the IBF title, a position he earned with his devastating fifth-round KO of Joshua in front of 90,000 screaming fans. Caroline, meanwhile, has built her own empire in the lightweight ranks. She turned professional in 2022 and remains undefeated with an 11-0-1 record, claiming the WBC lightweight title after Katie Taylor vacated the belt in December 2024. The pair became only the second sibling duo in boxing history to hold world titles simultaneously, though their relationship has been complicated by family dynamics in recent years.
The announcement actually confirmed that Dubois had become the most coveted free agent in women’s boxing and had left Ben Shalom’s BOXXER promotion to join Paul’s Most Valuable Promotions. She’ll defend her WBC lightweight title against Italy’s Camila Panatta in a 10-round bout on the preliminary card.
The Anthony Joshua Move
The timing of Paul’s announcement came after Joshua revealed he’d ditched longtime trainer Ben Davison to train with Oleksandr Usyk’s team in Spain. Joshua had lost to both Usyk twice previously, but the move represented a calculated gambit to find new angles and strategies for the heavyweight matchup. Joshua hadn’t fought since his knockout loss to Daniel Dubois in September 2024, having spent months recovering from elbow surgery.
Paul’s framing of the Dubois signing as “levelling the odds” carries a particular cheekiness. While Joshua was undeniably the elite heavyweight bringing elite support, Caroline Dubois represents something different entirely, she’s a champion fighter in her own right, not a trainer or corner piece. Her presence on MVP’s roster speaks to Paul’s expansion into women’s boxing, where he’s already built a significant contingent. Savannah Marshall, Ellie Scotney, and Chantelle Cameron already represent MVP in the women’s division.
The December 19 event at Kaseya Center in Miami will stream exclusively on Netflix. Joshua enters with a 245-pound weight limit, giving him roughly two-stone advantage over Paul despite the ten-ounce glove stipulation. The heavyweight bout is scheduled for eight three-minute rounds, shorter than standard championship fights but longer than the six rounds Paul fought against Mike Tyson last year.
Dubois herself expressed enthusiasm about her new venture. “Signing with MVP is the next step in my career. I’m proud to be under their roster, and I believe they will be able to help me on my Quest for Greatness,” she said in a statement. At 24, she’s already thinking beyond boxing, having previously stated she’d like to retire by 30 and avoid regret.
