Popular Anthony Joshua tipped the scales more than 12kg heavier than YouTuber-turned-boxer Jake Paul at the weigh-in.
Published December 19, 2025
Former heavyweight world champion Anthony Joshua weighed in briefly at the official weigh-in in Miami on Thursday ahead of his bout with social media boxing disruptor Jake Paul.
Joshua tipped the scales at 243.4 pounds (110 kg), even though the rules of the fight prevented him from weighing more than 245 pounds (111 kg).
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Joshua (28-4, 25 KOs), who usually fights as a heavyweight at around 250 pounds (11 kg), is the lightest he has been since dropping to 240 pounds (109 kg) for his first heavyweight title fight against Oleksandr Usyk on September 25, 2021.
Paul (12-1, 7 KOs) is a massive 216 pounds (98 kilograms), but he’s still more than two stone, or 12.7 kilograms, lighter than the 1.98-meter (6-foot-6-inch) Brit, who is 13 centimeters taller.
It was the second time in his professional career that the American fighter exceeded the normal cruiserweight limit of 91 kg (200 lbs).
Paul, who was excited to be the first to take to the stage after the weigh-in to rouse the crowd, insisted that Joshua was nervous ahead of the fight and said he would “shock the world” on Friday.
“I smell fear. I see something in his eyes, I really do,” Paul said.
“The pressure is on him. I’m fighting free. He’s already won. This is a lose-or-lose situation for him. I put him where I want him.”
Joshua, who remained calm throughout the weigh-in except for pushing Paul’s fist away from his face and yelling “don’t touch me” under the gaze of a promoter, said his talent would defeat even the smaller, less experienced boxer.
“I’m just better than this kid. I’m a serious fighter. That’s the difference. I’m a serious, serious fighter,” said the 2012 Olympic champion.
The game will be played at Miami’s Caseya Center on Friday at 10:30 p.m. (Saturday 3:30 a.m. Japan time).
The contest will be an eight-round sanctioned bout, using 10-ounce gloves.
Joshua will return to the ring for the first time since his knockout loss to fellow Briton Daniel Dubois in September 2024.
Ahead of the unified junior lightweight title fight, the co-main event weigh-ins saw holder Alicia Baumgardner weigh in at 129.2 pounds (58.6 kg) and challenger Layla Beaudoin at 130 pounds (58.9 kg).
Baumgardner hasn’t lost since 2018 and is the favorite to retain the title.
