Anthony Joshua and Jake Paul added fresh fuel to their controversial heavyweight showdown after a heated face-off at Thursday’s weigh-in in Miami, where the former world champion warned his opponent to “don’t touch me”.
The confrontation came as the fighters met on stage ahead of Friday night’s eight-round bout at the Kaseya Center, a contest that has divided opinion across boxing. Joshua, a two-time heavyweight world champion, pushed Paul’s fist away from his face after the YouTuber-turned-boxer attempted to mirror his raised guard.
Joshua, 36, appeared visibly irritated and later made a throat-slitting gesture as Paul walked away, an action that drew attention following his earlier use of the word “kill” in pre-fight comments. While the exchange intensified the drama, Joshua later attempted to downplay the moment, insisting there was “mutual respect” between the pair.
Asked what he had said to Paul, Joshua was blunt. “Don’t touch me,” he replied. “I’ll just outclass this kid. I’m a serious fighter. That’s the difference. I’m a serious, serious fighter.”
The weigh-in underlined the gulf in experience between the two men. Joshua, who turned professional in 2013, has fought in 13 world title bouts and boasts a record of 28 wins and four losses. Paul, by contrast, only made his professional debut in 2020 and has yet to compete at world championship level, holding a record of 12 wins and one defeat.
Despite heavyweights typically not needing to make weight, Joshua was required to come in under 17st 7lb (111kg) for the bout. He comfortably made the limit, tipping the scales at 17st 5lb (110kg), while Paul weighed in at 15st 7lb (98kg), almost two stone lighter than his opponent.
Paul’s weight marked the heaviest of his career, three pounds more than when he fought Mike Tyson last year. The American has largely competed at cruiserweight, and the jump in size has been a major talking point in the build-up to the fight.
At an earlier, low-key media-only weigh-in at the Fontainebleau hotel, Paul delivered a bizarre tirade after stepping off the scales. “Do you know who I am? I am him,” he shouted, gesturing wildly towards the assembled press.
The theatrics continued later in the day, with Paul attempting to unsettle Joshua during interviews. “He’s top heavy. Look at those legs. Chicken legs,” Paul said, claiming he could sense fear in the Briton. “The pressure is on him. I’m fighting free. I’ve already won. This is a lose-lose situation for him.”
Joshua’s promoter Eddie Hearn dismissed those claims, insisting the bout was not scripted and predicting his fighter would end matters quickly. Many within boxing share that view, questioning the competitive legitimacy of a fight that pits an established elite heavyweight against a relative novice.
Also on the card, British star Caroline Dubois made weight for her WBC lightweight world title defence against Italy’s Camilla Panatta. Both fighters came in one pound under the 9st 9lb (61kg) limit, with Dubois cutting a confident figure as she exchanged words with her challenger.
Dubois, 24, remains unbeaten with 11 wins and one draw and is making her debut under Jake Paul’s Most Valuable Promotions. The bout represents another step in her rise as one of the sport’s most promising talents, with the entire event set to be broadcast on Netflix, offering global exposure to the fighters involved.
As anticipation builds in Miami, the final stare-down between Joshua and Paul will now come inside the ring, where bravado and theatrics will give way to punches — and where Joshua aims to prove that experience still counts for everything.
