No Script, Joshua Will Rapidly Stop Jake Paul Out - Hearn Asserts

I have no genuine defense for Anthony Joshua vs. Jake Paul. It's insane the fact it's taking place and I feel the critics are right.

But, we just couldn't reject it. No boxer in their right mind would have said no. Anyone who says they'd refuse is completely lying outright.

We took a fight that we think will be quite simple, will provide AJ a massive profile in the United States and among his career-high earnings.

The Strategy Behind the Fight

Anthony Joshua was set to have a run-out fight in November in Saudi Arabia - an eight-round contest against a guy who was ranked about 100th in the world heavyweight rankings.

This was a chance to wrap the hands by his fresh coaching staff, make the ringwalk and go through the motions. Now, we're doing that same run-out however for fifty times the money.

We have a clear game plan planned - to knock Jake Paul out as soon as possible. Then, we return to regular business being resumed in 2026.

AJ will fight against a world-class fighter in February and - should things go to plan - he will then fight Fury.

So there is logic to this madness and taking this fight will not harm Joshua's legacy. But a loss against Paul or it even going the distance certainly would.

That would be an absolute disaster and awfully humiliating.

Paul vs Joshua Is Definitely Not Pre-Arranged

A great many individuals have come up to me questioning whether it's fixed. First of all, we'd be investigated by authorities if that were true. It would be against the law. This is a professional contest and an officially sanctioned match where fans are wagering.

And does anyone believe I would allow AJ to follow a script with Jake? A script where we might lose or even make him look bad? No way.

We are not providing this opponent an advantage or an opportunity to claim "told you I am superior to AJ" or "I took rounds from him". That would be devastating for Anthony Joshua and we will not take that risk.

Public Pressure for an Early Knockout

There are also those who say if AJ doesn't stop him in the first round then it is an embarrassment.

He is expected to dominate this opponent but, blimey, give him two to three stanzas for safety. Since how Jake approaches it will determine the pace of destruction.

Should he come forward, it will all be over rapidly. But if he fights defensively and trying to tie him up and stick and move, then he might last a couple of rounds.

We're not going to see AJ run across the squared circle in the first few seconds and start windmilling.

Similar to he did against Ngannou, he will go into the ring, size him up and then go in with his power shots.

Paul Can Whack a Little Bit

I have heard the likes of Roy Jones Jr and Teddy Atlas stating you cannot dismiss Jake out in this fight. Am I going crazy ? Is there anything they see that I'm not?

Let us be one thing right - Jake is a professional boxer. I think he is a respectable 200-pound fighter - ranked in the top 70 globally.

This is not a guy who has never laced a pair of gloves previously. He can punch a little bit. He's sparring Okolie and top-ten heavyweights.

Putting aside the victory against Mike Tyson, who was well past his prime, Jake did beat Julio Cesar Chavez Jr - who may have been a faded fighter but was hardly a total pushover.

He trained for that bout and was a former titleholder who went the distance with Saul 'Canelo' Alvarez and came close to stopping Sergio Martinez in the final round.

So I give credit to Jake for training hard and showing respect to the craft of boxing and he has accomplished a great deal for female boxing through his Most Valuable Promotions.

But despite his delusion, passion, commitment and enhanced ability, he should be being knocked out by Anthony Joshua.

The Moment Joshua Connects, It Is Finished

Jake and his team are hoping for a lot of factors. Hoping AJ underestimates him, hoping AJ is shot, banking on AJ's lack of activity will be a factor, banking on AJ lacks confidence, hoping AJ's chin has deteriorated.

However, to their misfortune, AJ is super switched on. He has completed a training camp and he's training like he's fighting Oleksandr Usyk or in a potential Daniel Dubois second fight.

I anticipate my fighter to win inside two rounds via a devastating KO.

A shot to Jake Paul to the body and he would break his ribs and he wouldn't be able to get up.

Should he land flush, he will knock him to sleep. Or the referee.

It is unknown exactly how it will unfold but with the way AJ punches - with the speed and destruction - the instant a punch lands on the chin, the fight is over.

Then we go back to AJ's primary objectives he aims to accomplish in the time of his career in boxing - to face Tyson Fury and to become a three-time heavyweight champion of the world.