Jake Paul’s target weight for Anthony Joshua clash is lighter than Mike Tyson bout

Jake Paul will be dwarfed by Anthony Joshua when they lock horns next month.

The pair are set to square off on December 19 at Miami’s Kaseya Center in a professional heavyweight clash.

As Paul, a natural cruiserweight (200lbs), is coming up a division, AJ has been set a strict 245lbs weight limit to level the playing field.

And while it is a touch below the 252lbs Joshua tipped the scales at for his last outing against Daniel Dubois in September 2024, it is still significantly heavier than Paul’s target weight.

‘The Problem Child’ has only competed in boxing’s glamour division once when he fought a 58-year-old Mike Tyson last November.

Paul came in at 227lbs for the spectacle, but against Joshua, he intends to be lighter.

“Anywhere between 215lbs to 225lbs,” he told Ariel Helwani when the question was posed to him at the launch press conference.

Paul had been cutting down to make a 195lbs catchweight for his exhibition with Gervonta Davis, scheduled for November 14.

However, the fight got cancelled after a civil court case was brought against Davis, alleging domestic abuse.

Paul then went from fighting the reigning WBA lightweight champion to a two-time unified heavyweight champion in one of the most left-field opponent changes in boxing history.

While Paul admits dieting himself down to box Davis has limited him from bulking up to a higher weight, he believes his physical advantages as the smaller man will help him win the fight.

How Jake Paul believes he can beat Anthony Joshua

“Man, I was cutting down for Gervonta, so it has been tough getting some strength back up for this,” he said.

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“Look, he is one of the best heavyweights ever, but I truly believe that fighting a smaller man can be hard because of the speed difference, because of the foot-speed, because of the angles and because of the head being off-centre.

“All of that power is great, and he has knocked people out, so I have got to avoid that one shot for eight rounds, which I feel I am capable of doing.

“I believe that when I am bouncing around the ring, jabbing, weaving and doing all of these things, I know I can pick him apart and make this a really good contest.

“People keep saying, ‘I respect Jake Paul for getting in there.’

“No, respect me because I am about to win!”

Although Paul is certainly confident, the odds are firmly stacked against him.

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Not only is he at a disadvantage when it comes to athleticism and fundamental boxing skills, but he is also five inches shorter and will have to overcome a six-inch reach discrepancy.

There doesn’t seem to be a clear path to victory for Paul, and yet the bookies are only pricing him as a 7/1 underdog.

To put that number into perspective, Paul is more heavily favoured than Andy Ruiz Jr, Robert Helenius, and Alexander Povetkin were when they faced Joshua.