Anthony Joshua vs Jake Paul Heavyweight Bout in Miami Draws Criticism Over Integrity and Safety
A heavyweight boxing match between Anthony Joshua and Jake Paul is scheduled to take place in Miami, with each fighter expected to earn about £70 million. Netflix is backing the promotion and will stream the event, hoping to surpass the 65 million concurrent streams achieved by the previous Paul vs Tyson fight to boost subscribers.
Jake Paul, a professional with 13 fights, has limited experience fighting above cruiserweight, having done so only once. Notably, he defeated Mike Tyson by decision in 2024. Joshua, on the other hand, has 13 world title defenses and is expected to weigh about three stone more than Paul for this bout.
Critics have raised concerns about the fight, arguing that it damages Joshua's reputation and boxing's integrity. They describe it as a breach of the sport's social contract because of the mismatch in experience and weight, highlighting the risks of brain injury. Questions have been posed as to whether any boxing authority would sanction a fight with such disparities.
The bout has been compared to the Joe Louis vs Al McCoy fight in 1940, underscoring the perceived sensationalism of the matchup over traditional sporting values.
