Former boxing world champion and Olympic medallist Richie Woodhall has warned that the upcoming crossover contest between Jake Paul and Anthony Joshua could be "dangerous". The fight, scheduled for December 19, will see the heavyweight champion of the world take on the YouTuber-turned-prizefighter in an eight-round bout.
Woodhall believes that Joshua's class, experience, and sheer size give him a significant advantage over Paul. In contrast, Paul has only had 13 professional fights, with all but one ending in victory, but he has never fought a heavyweight in his prime. The weight limit for the fight is set at 245lbs, which Woodhall expects to make Joshua take the bout more seriously and get into shape.
"I think it's a really dangerous contest," Woodhall said. "I don't care how much money is involved, you can be seriously hurt in boxing. If AJ connects with the right hand that we know he can do, he'll land in the next universe, Jake Paul will, it's quite simple."
Woodhall has had first-hand experience of Joshua's punching power, having done rounds of padwork with him as a coach on the GB squad. He believes that Joshua is still a formidable heavyweight champion and that his right hand is particularly devastating.
"I would say that Daniel Dubois had the hardest jab I've ever felt on the programme, but right hand-wise it was AJ," Woodhall said. "If he connects with that...I know it's only an eight rounder but eight rounds is a long time."
Not everyone shares Woodhall's concerns, however. British heavyweight David Adeleye has trained with Paul and believes that he should not be underestimated.
"I've got to give Jake his credit though," Adeleye said. "A lot of people don't give Jake his credit for even choosing this fight." Adeleye agrees that the fight will be interesting but thinks that it will also be a good test for Paul.
"We're all obviously going to be tuning in," Adeleye added. "It's going to be interesting...If there's another YouTuber that's a heavyweight that needs a dance partner, just call me."
The upcoming fight has been generating significant interest and debate among boxing fans and pundits alike. While some see it as an exhibition match, others believe that Paul is taking a risk by stepping into the ring with one of the best heavyweights in the world.
As for Joshua, he will be looking to prove his doubters wrong and show that he can dominate a less experienced opponent. The fight promises to be an intriguing clash between two different styles of boxing, with only time telling who will emerge victorious.
Woodhall believes that Joshua's class, experience, and sheer size give him a significant advantage over Paul. In contrast, Paul has only had 13 professional fights, with all but one ending in victory, but he has never fought a heavyweight in his prime. The weight limit for the fight is set at 245lbs, which Woodhall expects to make Joshua take the bout more seriously and get into shape.
"I think it's a really dangerous contest," Woodhall said. "I don't care how much money is involved, you can be seriously hurt in boxing. If AJ connects with the right hand that we know he can do, he'll land in the next universe, Jake Paul will, it's quite simple."
Woodhall has had first-hand experience of Joshua's punching power, having done rounds of padwork with him as a coach on the GB squad. He believes that Joshua is still a formidable heavyweight champion and that his right hand is particularly devastating.
"I would say that Daniel Dubois had the hardest jab I've ever felt on the programme, but right hand-wise it was AJ," Woodhall said. "If he connects with that...I know it's only an eight rounder but eight rounds is a long time."
Not everyone shares Woodhall's concerns, however. British heavyweight David Adeleye has trained with Paul and believes that he should not be underestimated.
"I've got to give Jake his credit though," Adeleye said. "A lot of people don't give Jake his credit for even choosing this fight." Adeleye agrees that the fight will be interesting but thinks that it will also be a good test for Paul.
"We're all obviously going to be tuning in," Adeleye added. "It's going to be interesting...If there's another YouTuber that's a heavyweight that needs a dance partner, just call me."
The upcoming fight has been generating significant interest and debate among boxing fans and pundits alike. While some see it as an exhibition match, others believe that Paul is taking a risk by stepping into the ring with one of the best heavyweights in the world.
As for Joshua, he will be looking to prove his doubters wrong and show that he can dominate a less experienced opponent. The fight promises to be an intriguing clash between two different styles of boxing, with only time telling who will emerge victorious.
i feel bad for him tho, richie woodhall makes some good points about aj's punching power... but have you guys seen aj's face in his promos? 
like he's so intense all the time, it's kinda scary. and david adeleye is right, jake needs to get respect from boxing fans... but at the same time, who wouldn't wanna watch aj vs paul? 
It's always dope to see big names like AJ and Jake Paul go at it in the ring. But for real, Richie Woodhall's concerns are valid - if AJ connects with that right hand, it's game over for Jake 
. I've seen some of AJ's highlights, and dude is a beast! 
It's cool to see someone giving him props for taking the risk. And who knows, maybe this fight will be more than just an exhibition match? We might actually get to see some real action!
Is he in this to win it, or is he just trying to prove a point? Either way, I'm hyped for the drama and excitement that's about to go down! 
!!! Richie Woodhall's warnings are valid though... AJ is a beast and his right hand is terrifying 
. It'll be crazy to see Paul step into the ring with someone of Joshua's caliber. But at the same time, I love how confident Jake is about taking on this challenge 
. And David Adeleye's comments about Paul being underrated are SO true 
. The thing that gets me most excited is the hype around this fight - it's going to be EPIC! 
this is gonna end badly 
i mean think about it jake paul has 13 pro fights and aj's got experience comin outta his pores 
woodhall's right tho aj's power's crazy he could knock paul out cold 
joshua's got the skillz & size on paul's side, and woodhall knows what he's talking about 
paul's gotta bring his A-game if he wants to take down the champ 
I love how David Adeleye's keeping it real and giving Jake credit for taking on the big fight though 
if joshua can just land that right hand...game over 
and Woodhall knows what he's talking about. He's had hands on experience and knows AJ's style 
. It's gonna be a wild ride!
.
. Will we get a dominant win from AJ or will Paul pull off an upset? Only time will tell 
. One thing's for sure though, it's gonna be entertaining to watch 
️. I'm gonna be tuning in to watch it, hoping that Paul comes out on top and proves everyone wrong 
. I'm still not sure if AJ will take this one seriously or just look at it as a cash-in match...but I do know one thing - whoever wins, it'll be an entertaining fight 
️
. Richie Woodhall's warning about the danger of the fight is valid tho, AJ has a mean right hand 
. It's gonna be a fun fight to watch, but let's not forget that AJ is the one with the experience and size advantage 
. Can't wait for Dec 19th though! 
aj would annihilate him in like 2-3 rounds, paul's speed might allow him to keep up for a bit but once aj lands that big right hand... game over 
.
. I'm not gonna lie, I'm a bit curious to see how this all plays out 
. Can't wait to tune in on Dec 19th! 
. As for Paul, I think he needs to focus more on defense rather than just throwing wild punches. If he can make it through the first few rounds without getting knocked out, then maybe he's got a chance 
.