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Boxer's Mentality

"I will injure his face and break his body up. My goal is to show I'm the better fighter," Joshua, 35, said.

"I will dominate him completely. That's the boxer's mindset.

"I'm going to really want to hurt him. That's what I want to do."

Civil Exchange

Despite those words, a relaxed Joshua and social media star Jake Paul - typically known for his dramatics - shared friendly words and remained civil with each other.

Jake Paul instead targeted ex Joshua rival Francis Ngannou and called him "a joke" after the Cameroonian declined a fight offer.

Targeting Fury

Joshua, at the same time, targeted British opponent Tyson Fury - and refused a large bet 'The Gypsy King' states he will put on a Paul win.

"[Paul] is better than Fury - he's actually sitting here," the boxer said.

"I give him credit for that."

Legitimate Opponent

In spite of saying he intends to hurt Jake Paul, Anthony Joshua refused to comment unfavorably about his rival's fighting skills.

"Jake Paul is a serious fighter," he remarked.

Paul's Background

Paul - who originally gained popularity on the Disney Channel - has mainly fought mixed martial artists or past-their-prime fighters since entering professional boxing.

He was defeated by British fighter Fury in 2023.

Commercial Success

Nevertheless, the inexperienced fighter remains one of the sport's biggest commercial attractions, regularly earning huge paydays.

Prediction and Belief

The 28-year-old forecast a stoppage in the fourth or fifth round and asserted he would derail the much-anticipated Joshua–Fury fight, which is allegedly in the works for 2026.

"It will be my match with Fury next year," Paul said.

Size Difference

As Joshua and Paul met for the usual confrontation, with their physical disparity clearly visible, it emphasized just how surprising this entire matchup is - and how amazing it is that the match is really going ahead.