Strategic Edge: Why Paul Sees Himself With the Advantage
1. Speed, footwork and movement
Paul repeatedly emphasises that Joshua’s size and power, while formidable, can be mitigated if you stay out of range and move smart. Paul said: “His size is great, and all that power is great, but I just have to avoid that one shot for eight rounds — and I believe I can do that. I know I can pick him apart, score points and make this a great contest.”
In short: Paul believes his quicker feet and sharper angles will allow him to dodge Joshua’s heavy artillery and accumulate damage over time.
2. Work to the body & sneaky knockout punches
Beyond pure speed, Paul emphasises what many heavyweight fighters overlook: body work and unexpected shots. As he put it in earlier remarks, he sees Joshua’s “chin’s gone” and his rhythm “stiff, no skill” — essentially arguing that the veteran’s style has become more predictable.
Paul argues that by keeping Joshua off-balance (via body shots, movement) he can open up “sneaky knockout punches.” In his own words: “I’m quick, fast, great footwork, great chin [meaning his own], take shots, lion-hearted, sneaky knockout punches and great work to the body.” (paraphrased from his media comments).
3. Lion-hearted mentality and risk-taking
When you step into the ring with a former two-time unified heavyweight champion — someone like Joshua, with 28 wins and 25 KOs — mental resolve matters. Paul acknowledges the challenge. At the press conference he admitted: “I’m a little scared”, calling this the biggest fight of my career.
But he reframes the fear: it’s a motivator rather than a handicap. He repeatedly states he’s willing to “go where most guys won’t” and that his delusional optimism is a fuel.
4. Capitalising on perceived weaknesses
Paul has publicly listed what he sees as four key weaknesses in Joshua’s game: “His chin’s gone. He’s stiff, no rhythm, no skill. [He only has] power.”
Essentially, while Joshua still carries power, Paul believes that’s where the veteran is strongest — but possibly also where he is most exposed. If Joshua becomes reliant on one big punch, Paul’s strategy is to survive the one shot, then exploit the aftermath.
Context & Risk — Why This Is Bigger Than It Looks
The fight is sanctioned as an eight-round heavyweight bout, set for December 19 at the Kaseya Center, Miami. Joshua, a towering 6’6″, will be coming off a knockout loss (to Daniel Dubois in September 2024) and will face the unusual condition of being capped at 245 lb for this bout.
By contrast, Paul (6’1″) has built his resume largely at cruiserweight and is stepping deeper into heavyweight territory than ever.
This mismatch (size, experience, pedigree) has drawn criticism. Some boxing purists see the bout as mismatched or even a “mockery” of the heavyweight division.
And yet, it’s exactly the kind of fight Paul thrives in: high-risk, high-reward, and heavy on narrative.
Paul is banking on the notion that the underdog status works in his favour: “No one thinks I’m going to win. Join the list and be ready to be shocked.”
He’s sold the storyline of speed vs power, youth vs experience, angle vs brute force. He knows that if Joshua catches him — the fight could end in a flash; but if Paul can implement his game-plan, he believes the upset is there for the taking.
Jake Paul’s public elaboration of his advantages over Anthony Joshua isn’t mere trash-talk: it’s a strategic breakdown of how he plans to navigate one of the riskiest fights of his career. He identifies speed, angles, body work, mental grit and a belief in Joshua’s vulnerabilities as his pillars of advantage.
Of course, the caveat remains huge: Joshua’s power and experience are still world-class. As one analyst put it: “If he gets hit by anything, it’s over.”
But for Paul, that’s the point. He doesn’t just plan to survive — he plans to dominate by doing what heavyweights sometimes struggle with: movement, disguise, pace and relentless body work. If he delivers on those, we could witness one of the more unexpected upsets in modern heavyweight boxing.
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