Posted by Samuel on Thu 04th Dec, 2025 - tori.ng
The former undisputed heavyweight champion, who has gone the full distance with Joshua across two gruelling bouts, said the gulf in experience and size between the pair makes the match-up dangerously one-sided.
Oleksandr Usyk, the world-famous Ukrainian boxer, has sounded a warning about Jake Paul’s upcoming fight with Anthony Joshua, cautioning that the American newcomer could face serious injury when they clash on December 19 in Miami.
The former undisputed heavyweight champion, who has gone the full distance with Joshua across two gruelling bouts, said the gulf in experience and size between the pair makes the match-up dangerously one-sided.
Their most recent recorded weights show a 52-pound gap, while Anthony Joshua stands five inches taller than the YouTuber-turned-boxer. Usyk believes that physical difference alone tells its own story.
“If Anthony Joshua wants, he will kill this guy,” Usyk told Boxing Scene.
He drew a blunt comparison between the two fighters, pointing out Joshua’s pedigree as an Olympic and world champion against Paul’s short rise in the sport.
“Listen, a lot of questions, blah, blah, blah… Anthony Joshua is an Olympic champion, first. Jake Paul, yeah, a sportsman, a YouTuber, a showman. Joshua is Rolls-Royce; Jake is a Fiat.
“Listen, it’s true. It’s just true… Yes, I will pray for Jake Paul. Because I want to fight with Jake Paul in the octagon,” Usyk added.
Usyk knows what it means to face much larger opponents. After dominating the cruiserweight division, he stepped up to heavyweight and went on to become an undisputed champion twice, often giving away size and weight.
Even so, he was clear that Paul’s journey is nothing like his own. Before turning professional in 2020, Paul had taken part in only one amateur white-collar bout. By contrast, Joshua had already secured Olympic gold and held unified heavyweight titles.
Usyk recently came face-to-face with Paul to tease a potential MMA contest, though any future plans depend on Paul making it through what many expect to be the toughest night of his career at the Kaseya Centre.
Paul enters the fight with a 12-1 record built mainly against ageing or limited opposition. His only loss came against Tommy Fury in 2024.