Jake Paul has had one of the most mysterious careers in sports history that has now landed him a fight with Anthony Joshua.
Before Joshua however, Paul has gone from basketball stars to mixed-martial-arts world champions.
Amateur background
‘The Problem Child’ had just one amateur fight before turning over to the pro rankings.
August 25th 2018 marked the first time we would see Paul in a boxing ring.
He scored a technical knockout over Deji Olatunji.
Deji, younger brother of JJ Olatunji, more commonly known as KSI offered very little to Paul on his debut.
Despite leaving the American bloodied up he was outclassed before the stoppage.
Early profesional run
Paul was not seen in a boxing ring again until January 30th 2020 in what was his professional debut.
Matchroom chairman Eddie Hearn actually promoted this event.
Paul took on AnEsonGib – a UK-based YouTuber – who was supposed to offer a much tougher test than Deji but this didn’t happen.
The American stopped Gib in the first round as a result of the three knockdown rule in what was a statement debut win.
10 months on Paul’s second profesional bout took place on the historic Mike Tyson vs Roy Jones Jr undercard.
Paul picked up a viral knockout win over basketball star, Nate Robinson in what was the first time Paul became a mainstream talking point.
He didn’t stay away from boxing too long, returning in April 2021 in what was seen as a real step-up in his boxing career.
Paul went from facing a basketball star and YouTuber’s to former UFC world champion in Ben Askren but the 28-year-old made easy work of Askren with a first round stoppage.
Later on in the year Paul would face his first real adversity in a boxing ring against the hard-hitting Tyron Woodley who took him the distance in a back-and-forth contest.
Paul won on a split-decision and the pair would rematch less than four months on.
Knockout of the year
In his rematch with Woodley, Paul made another viral moment.
Going into round six the fight was pretty even before ‘The Problem Child’ landed a lethal overhand right putting Woodley to sleep.
This stoppage won ESPN Ringside’s knockout of the year award and made headlines all over the boxing world.
‘The Problem Child’ took an extended spell out of the ring after this win and return in late October 2022 where he defeated UFC legend Anderson Silva, dropping him in round eight.
First loss
After years of back-and-forth Paul & Tommy Fury finally met in the ring over in Saudi Arabia.
Fury dealt Paul his first and only career loss to date beating over eight rounds, despite the final result being a split decision Fury was clearly the better man on the night.
The comeback
Coming off his only loss Paul took another extended spell out the ring, he didn’t fight for another six months.
He returned against the tough Nate Diaz in a clash many didn’t want to see.
With Paul once again facing a fighter that isn’t a natural boxer.
Following complaints over opponents ‘The Problem Child’ faced his first traditional boxer since the Fury loss in Andre August.
Coming into the clash August had a record of [10-1-1] with five stoppages.
Paul made easy work of August, stopping him in the first round with a brutal uppercut.
The American returned three months on, once again against a profesional boxer who was actually a golden gloves champion in the amateurs.
Ryan Bourland on paper seemed a real tough test with a [17-2-0] record this was seen as Paul’s first step-up since the Fury loss.
Paul stopped the 35-year-old in similar to fashion, early on in the first round.
Following heavyweight legend Mike Tyson pulling out of his clash with Paul as a result of a health scare The Problem Child took on BKFC legend Mike Perry.
Perry was out of his depth with Paul, outboxed over six rounds before eventually being stopped.
Mike Tyson vs Jake Paul
Paul made headlines like never before when he chose to fight a 58-year-old Mike Tyson.
Many disliked this fight feeling Tyson was way too old to be sharing the ring with an active and young fighter like Paul.
Tyson vs Paul was broadcast on Netflix’s first ever live boxing event which went on to break many records relating to live viewing figures on the sport.
Paul was clearly too fit and strong for a heavily aged Tyson as he cruised to victory over eight, two minute rounds.
Earlier this year Paul shocked the boxing universe once again with reports that he was set to finalise a deal with at the time undisputed super-middleweight world champion Canelo Alvarez.
The fight was supposed to take place on May 3, 2025 with MVP even releasing posters for the event.
Rather than facing Canelo Paul would fight a man that actually went 12 rounds with him.
Julio Cesar Chavez Jr was named Paul’s next opponent, Chavez Jr was a former world champion and boasts a level of experience Paul had never shared the ring with.
In Paul’s second 10-round fight of his career he went the distance with son of Julio Cesar Chavez Sr and picked up a wide unanimous decision win.
Chavez Jr was only the second opponent Paul has not managed to put down with Tyson being the first despite their fight taking place with 14 ounce gloves.
Jake Paul vs Anthony Joshua
Paul was set to face lightweight world champion Gervonta Davis until that clash was cancelled due to ‘Tank’s’ legal troubles.
That brings us to present day with Paul vs Joshua set to take place this Friday.
Joshua trumps Paul in nearly every category when you look at the tale of the tape for this clash.
He has a much bigger reach, is five inches taller and has achieved things in the sport Paul could only dream of right now.
Joshua is a two-time world champion and an Olympic gold medallist.
‘AJ’ has shared the ring with some of the best the sport has seen from Wladimir Klitschko to three-time undisputed world champion Oleksandr Usyk.
