Anthony Joshua and Jake Paul faced off for the final time on Thursday night in Miami after successfully making weight for their highly anticipated heavyweight clash.
Joshua weighed in at 243.4 pounds, comfortably under the 245-pound contractual limit, while Paul, typically a cruiserweight, tipped the scales at 216.6 pounds.
The bout is set for 1 a.m. Nigerian time at the Kaseya Centre, Miami. The eight-round contest is a professional fight, meaning knockouts are allowed. If Joshua knocks down Paul, the American will have the standard 10-count to prove he can continue. Should the fight go the distance, three judges will score the contest to declare a winner.
Many expect the British-Nigerian heavyweight to secure another early stoppage, with predictions suggesting the fight may not last beyond the first two rounds.
The weigh-in also confirmed the co-main event, with unified junior lightweight champion Alycia Baumgardner weighing 129.2 pounds, while challenger Leila Beaudoin came in at 130 pounds. All other fighters on the card made weight without issue.
Joshua, returning for the first time since his knockout loss to Daniel Dubois in September, has spoken about the pressure of meeting the expectations of boxing purists against an opponent often viewed as an outsider. Paul, meanwhile, insists he is capable of delivering what he calls one of the biggest upsets in sporting history.
The event will be streamed globally, with Nigerian fans able to watch live online.
Event Details:
- Date: Friday, December 19
- Prelims: 9:45 p.m. WAT (live on Tudum)
- Main Card: 1:00 a.m. WAT Saturday (streaming on Netflix)
- Location: Kaseya Centre, Miami, Florida
