Jake Paul vs Anthony Joshua Predictions & Betting Tips

Jake Paul is coming back to the boxing ring with another event to titillate the kids, and this time, he’ll be taking on the former two-time unified World heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua.

It should go without saying, but this is a colossal, perhaps even an extremely unsafe, step up in class for the YouTube video creator, with the Paul vs Joshua betting showing him as the 7/1 underdog to AJ’s 1/16 advantage.

Jake Paul v Anthony Joshua Odds:

• Jake Paul – 6/1
• Draw – 18/1
• Anthony Joshua – 1/9

Before the event gets underway on 19 December, or Judgment Day as previously described, in Miami, here’s a look at Paul’s and Joshua’s journey in boxing, as well as some Paul vs Joshua predictions.

Anthony Joshua Boxer Profile, Strengths, and Weaknesses

Anthony Joshua was a huge part of boxing’s resurgence to public prominence and popularity throughout the mid-2010s and into the 2020s. Now, he’s 28-4, a two-time unified World champion, and boasts 25 knockouts.

The hard-hitting Brit threw down with the best of Britain and then the best of whoever would fight him in the world, including a particularly enthralling rumble with Wladimir Klitschko in 2017.

With WBC title-holder Deontay Wilder ducking every boxer who’d seem to pose a challenge and Tyson Fury leaving the sport to deal with his addictions before getting tied up with Wilder for a trilogy over a few years, Joshua became the biggest draw in the division.

In 2019, however, his first trip to the US ended in disaster with Andy Ruiz surging from what looked to be an easy win to oust Joshua. AJ would return later that year with a methodical win in the rematch to reclaim his three belts.

In 2021 and 2022, despite improving significantly in between, AJ was out-boxed by Oleksandr Usyk twice. So, he rebuilt, won four on the bounce – but one was a naff exhibition for Saudi Arabia against a UFC fighter.

Last time out, in September 2024, Joshua was steamrolled in a shot at the IBF World title. Daniel Dubois pulled the same strategy as Ruiz to end Joshua’s hopes of becoming a three-time World champion that night.

Joshua suffered some long-lasting injuries in the Dubois bout and has been inactive since. Even so, the 6’6’’ 36-year-old has proven his ability to bounce back before.

He’s a very strong boxer in most regards, with good footwork and a stiff jab. He’s keen to go on the offensive and, once his opponent moves into a shell, he’ll whip a distracting hook or straight up top before drilling through a devastating uppercut.

Joshua’s clear weakness is dealing with pressure from the inside. If the game plan is to avoid this, he certainly can – as he did with his fleet-footed second showings against Ruiz and Usyk – but desperation shots do tend to catch him off-guard or even unguarded entirely

Jake Paul Fighter Profile, Strengths, and Weaknesses

Having said that he’s a boxer since the start of 2020, Jake Paul has now amassed a 12-1 record. Five of those fights were against debutants and two were against boxers with a 0-1 record – one of which was debutant the fight prior.

The first time he stepped into the ring with a trained mostly pro boxer, Tommy Fury in 2023, he was outclassed in just about every aspect of the sport, but only lost by split decision in the reality TV-inspired spat.

Since then, he’s outlasted former UFC champion Nate Diaz to a ten-round UD, beat 10-1-1 low level pro boxer Andre August with a first-round knockout, and did the same to 17-2 journeyman Ryan Bourland.

Michael Perry and his 0-1 record were next, ending the eight-rounder against the MMA fighter in the sixth via TKO. Then, Mike Tyson came for his cheque.

The cringe-inducing affair went eight rounds between the two with 31-year age difference. Paul says he held back because of his respect for the former champion.

Thirsting for more great names to add to his list, seven months after winning via UD against Tyson, he settled for the 39-year-old, 54-7-1 son of Julio César Chávez, beating Junior by UD over ten rounds.

Now with a 3-1 record against technically active boxers, it’d be unfair to say that Paul hasn’t improved over the last five years. The orthodox 6’1’’ social media personality has made his jab work busier and sharper in particular.

He steps in competently and, when not fatigued by the middle rounds, will bounce out, too. He tends to jab up top and follow with a big rear-hand hook, but all too often loses the little good footwork he’ll open with as the rounds progress, losing balance when stumbling in and out of exchanges and crossing his feet.

With a low guard that poses as active but rarely covers his chin in time, the fading feet are often compensated for by his decent chin and his aggression on the front foot. Mid-tier boxers would find and exploit the holes with ease.

Jake Paul vs Anthony Joshua Prediction

Having been out for so long, this looks to be a low-stakes tune-up with a massive purse for AJ. Paul isn’t even a mid-calibre pro boxer, but the blueprint has been laid for how to exploit Joshua, so the Brit has to take it seriously.

Even so, the boxing odds expect Joshua to deal with his American opponent handily. A classic finish before the fourth round, regardless of the boxer, gets 8/13 and would be reminiscent of Joshua’s pre-Klitschko days.

Not too long ago, Joshua cut through Francis Ngannou in two rounds after the former UFC champion took Tyson Fury the distance. When he can spot the gaps, it doesn’t take Joshua long to thump his foe to the mat.

If Paul runs, Joshua will hunt him down in a handful of rounds. If Paul comes onto the man with 5’’ extra height and 6’’ extra reach – unless he gets a sudden big swing from nowhere to land – Joshua should sort him out in three or fewer.

However, punters shouldn’t forget exactly what’s going on for this Netflix show of boxing. It only exists for spectacle, for money, and nothing but Joshua’s reputation is on the line – and even that may not take much of a hit.

There is every chance that the circus performs to a script over its eight rounds of three minutes, even with it being officially sanctioned and whatnot. As long as he wins, AJ could coast for a bit and maybe let the odd shot glance.

Were this a real boxing match where the outcome matters, the Paul vs Joshua predictions would be for AJ to wrap this up within three rounds by knockout – but this isn’t a real bout, so anything goes.

*Odds subject to change – prices accurate at the time of writing*