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Jake Paul fights former heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua on December 19

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YouTuber-turned-boxer Jake Paul will face former two-time unified heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua in a professional heavyweight boxing match on December 19 at the Kaseya Center in Miami, ESPN Most Valuable Promotions reported on Monday.

The fight – which will be streamed live on Netflix – is scheduled for eight 3-minute rounds, and fighters will wear 10-ounce gloves, which is standard in heavyweight fights.

It’s a turnaround for 27-year-old Paul, who was originally scheduled to face WBA lightweight champion Gervonta “Tank” Davis in an exhibition fight on November 14. However, the fight was canceled after Davis was named in a civil lawsuit filed by an ex-girlfriend accusing the boxer of aggravated battery, false imprisonment, kidnapping and intentional infliction of emotional distress.

Instead of facing a hard-hitting professional boxer who fought at 130 pounds, Paul will now face a two-time heavyweight champion and Olympic gold medalist in a sanctioned professional boxing match who fought up to 256 pounds, more than 100 pounds heavier than Davis. Paul campaigned primarily as a cruiserweight with a 200-pound weight limit, although he weighed 227.25 pounds ahead of his 2024 heavyweight exhibition fight against Mike Tyson.

“This is not an AI simulation. This is Judgment Day,” Paul said in a statement. “A professional heavyweight fight against an elite world champion in his prime. Once I defeat Anthony Joshua, all doubt disappears and no one can deny me the chance to fight for the world title. To all my haters, this is what you wanted. I apologize to the people of the UK. On Friday December 19, under the lights in Miami, live worldwide only on Netflix, the torch will be passed and the British Goliath will be put to sleep.”

Paul (12-1, 7 KO) is still novel to the sport with no significant amateur experience and has only boxed 70 rounds as a professional as of 2020. He will take a huge step up from MMA fighters and boxing journeymen to face Joshua (28-4, 25 KO), one of the hardest-hitting and most decorated heavyweights in the world who has amassed over 160 rounds of boxing over his 12-year career. professional.

“Jake or anyone else can get this job. There is no mercy,” Joshua, 36, said in a statement. “I’ve had some time and I’m coming back from a mega show. This is a great opportunity for me. Whether you like it or not, I’m here to make huge numbers, fight gigantic fights and break every record while remaining peaceful, peaceful and collected. Mark my words, you will see many more fighters take advantage of these opportunities in the future. I’m about to break the internet in front of Jake Paul’s face.”

In his last appearance in September 2024, Joshua was stopped in the fifth round of his IBF title fight against Daniel Dubois. After the defeat, he opted for elbow surgery and has been sidelined ever since. Eddie Hearn, Joshua’s promoter at Matchroom Boxing, told ESPN earlier this year that his protege would fight once in 2025 and then target a massive, all-British heavyweight fight against the now-retired Tyson Fury. However, few expected that the only fight in 2025 would be against Paul.

“Everyone laughed when Jake Paul said in March that he wanted to fight AJ in 2026,” said Nakisa Bidarian, CEO of Most Valuable Promotions. “Well, plans have changed and in less than two weeks MVP and Netflix have had one of the greatest fights of all time. Now, as only Jake Paul could and would do, he is fighting one of the most feared boxers in the world. Joshua has every advantage in this fight except one – Jake Paul’s delusional confidence and if anyone can shock the world, it’s him. This is a global clash between two of the most recognizable figures in the sport, Jake, the face of a novel era of boxing, and Joshua, the king of British boxing. boxing.”

Joshua was Paul’s target for a 2026 fight. However, these plans were accelerated due to the cancellation of the Davis fight. Most Valuable Promotions told ESPN that Paul will fight before the end of the year following Davis’ cancellation, but he needs to find an opponent quickly.

Last week, The Ring was the first to report that the two sides were in negotiations, and now Paul faces the toughest test of his newborn career in which few expect him to be even remotely competitive.

“They say be careful what you wish for, I feel like that’s all I have to say,” Hearn said. “Two of the biggest names in sports will collide on December 19. While I admire Jake’s balls, he’ll find out the firm way in Miami.”

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Sergei Gorokhov KO toppled after ring invasion in Turkey

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Image: Sergei Gorokhov KO Overturned After Ring Invasion in Turkey

Gorokhov (16-11-2) had already done damage with large shots, finishing Kalkan (7-0, 4 KO) with a spotless knockout that forced the referee to wave his hand. The task has been completed.

After being detained, Gorokhov walked to the opposite corner, where a fight began. That was enough. The cornermen ran inside, the voices became piercing, followed by punches. Within seconds, many people entered the ring.

The situation got out of the referee’s control. The horns could not be separated. Once the non-fighters make it through the ropes, the result will be written in the record books.

The footage showed flying chairs and people trading on ropes as security tried to take control of the situation. The recording shows objects thrown near the ropes. The announcements to stop the fight didn’t change anything. The ring is already gone.

The sanctioning authority has confined powers and the ruling follows standard procedure. When the ropes are broken and extra hands are involved, the score cannot stand and is removed from the scoresheet.

An investigation is ongoing and suspensions and penalties are expected once reports are submitted. The verdict now comes from the officials, not the blows that ended it.

Kalkan keeps his undefeated record in the books. Gorokhov leaves without the victory he earned. Disciplinary action is expected following the investigation.

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Oleksandr Usyk said he “can’t run away” from the newly emerged title challenger: “I will bully him”

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Oleksandr Usyk told that he ‘cannot run’ from newly emerged title contender: “I’ll bully him”

Although Oleksandr Usyk presented his three-fight plan, a recent challenger entered the fight with hopes of taking a shot at the Ukrainian and winning the unified world heavyweight titles.

Next month’s meeting with Dutch kickboxer Rico Verhoeven kicks off what Usyk envisioned as a series of three hand-picked fights before his planned retirement in 2027, with his next dance partner being the winner of Fabio Wardley vs. Daniel Dubois.

However, the WBC is expected to demand that Usyk fight mandatory challenger Agit Kabayel in his next fight, and promoter Frank Warren believes he will be stripped of his belt if he fails to face the undefeated German.

Meanwhile, the WBA and IBF titles are not on the line against Verhoeven, which has fight fans wondering whether Usyk could soon be stripped of those belts as well.

Although if Usyk defends the WBA crown, Jarrell Miller will be waiting for him after him on Saturday evening he defeated Lenier Pero in the WBA eliminator final rise to title contention.

I’m talking to Fighting Hub TV after “Gigantic Baby” won, he told Usyk that there was nowhere to run or hide when fighting him.

“He’s a great fighter, man, but when you’re fighting a bully like me, there’s nowhere to run or hide. Usyk doesn’t really have crazy punching power, and he has trouble with guys who punch to the body and throw a lot of punches.”

This performance [against Pero] it was just a taste of what I could do. So the most essential thing is to go back and get the drawing board back. Let’s work and be ready for everyone.

I want Usyk to come back after the Rico fight and I can spank him.

If Usyk loses the WBA title, Miller could find himself in line for a title fight with current WBA Regular titleholder Murat Gassiew, who expected to be promoted to full champion. Although Moses Itauma would probably get the first shot at the proposed scrap with the Russian.

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David Benavidez has no room for error in the fight against Ramirez

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Image: David Benavidez Has No Room for Error vs Ramirez

Benavidez enters Saturday’s fight with Gilberto Ramirez in a situation where even a tiny defeat may have a higher price than one defeat in history. Greater opportunities lie ahead, but those plans depend on beating Ramirez cleanly and leaving Las Vegas intact.

Benavidez will meet Ramirez on May 2 in Las Vegas in a fight for Ramirez’s WBA and WBO cruiserweight titles for $79.99. On paper, this is a bold move as Benavidez makes the jump from lightweight heavyweight to challenge an established titleholder who has already established himself in the division.

The pressure on Benavidez goes far beyond physical titles. For months, his name has been linked to huge opportunities at 175 pounds, most notably a clash with Dmitry Bivol. A loss to Ramirez would immediately derail those plans, forcing Benavidez into a rebuilding phase and delaying any significant career moves for the foreseeable future.

Winning in an ugly or narrow way can still invite skepticism. Benavidez is known for his constant pressure and high efficiency, and recently he has had a record of immaculate shots and has been forced to persevere in hard moments. Facing naturally larger opponents makes these defensive mistakes much more steep in the long run.

Ramirez may lack elite strength, but he has the experience and durability of a seasoned cruiserweight. He also enters the ring with much less weight on his shoulders than the challenger. All the pressure to perform rests entirely on Benavidez.

Therefore, the risk for Benavidez is much higher than for the man holding the belts. A victory will ensure that his path to mass fights remains clear, while any other result could immediately ruin his momentum and force him to spend time fighting Ramirez again. Getting stuck twice in the Ramirez fight would be a nightmare for Benavidez.

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