Oleksandr Usyk has weighed in on the upcoming Jake Paul ansmd Anthony Joshua fight, expressing his thoughts on the mismatch between the pair ahead of their December 19 clash.
The Ukrainian heavyweight champion used a striking analogy to describe the contrast in skill and experience between Joshua and Paul.
Usyk, who faced Joshua twice and emerged victorious on both occasions, told Boxing King Media (si.com), “[It’s] dangerous for Anthony and for Jake Paul maybe. A Rolls-Royce can’t have any kind of competition with a Fiat. It makes no sense. Anthony is Rolls-Royce, Jake Paul is a Fiat. So, big big problem for him.”
The announcement of the fight left many fans and boxing experts surprised, as Paul—known as ‘The Problem Child’—is stepping into the ring against a two-time world champion and Olympic gold medalist.
Paul holds a professional record of 12-1-0 with seven knockouts, his only defeat coming against Tommy Fury in 2023, who remains arguably the most legitimate opponent he has faced.
Joshua, significantly larger and more experienced, is reportedly training with members of Usyk’s team in preparation for the bout.
Losing to Paul would be disastrous for Joshua and leave a blemish on his legacy. However, his promoter, Eddie Hearn, does not believe such an outcome is likely.
“He is a top 50, in the world, cruiserweight,” Hearn said of Paul. “He is a legitimate cruiserweight now. I just don’t think he’s world class and I don’t think there’s any non-world class cruiserweight that can step up to heavyweight and beat Anthony Joshua.
“Maybe I’m wrong. If I’m wrong, I think my time’s up. Not just AJ and me retire, I think we should all retire. So AJ the weight of boxing is on your shoulders, my man!”
Hearn fully expects Joshua to dismantle Paul with ease. “I really believe this is going to be a straightforward obliteration,” he told Sky Sports. “This is a real fight. This is a sanctioned contest.
“It is completely illegal to have any kind of agreement of how the fight would play out.
“Fair play to Jake Paul. He’s signed up for a real fight,” he continued. “Within less than a minute of that fight he is going to think to himself: ‘What on earth have I done here?’ And more importantly: ‘What am I going to do?’
“There is absolutely no escape for Jake Paul in this fight… You will find out very quickly what this game is all about. And it will not be pleasant for you.”
Fans will be watching closely to see if Paul can handle the challenge posed by one of this era’s finest heavyweights.
