Jake Paul spars three world class heavyweights in preparation for Anthony Joshua fight
Jake Paul sparring three top heavyweights for AJ fight including former world champion
YouTuber-turned-boxer Jake Paul (12-1, 7 KOs) has drafted in world champion sparring partners for his upcoming fight with Anthony Joshua (28-4, 25 KOs) on December 19 at Kaseya Center in Miami.
The unlikely opponents are set to clash just days before Christmas over 8x3 minute rounds at heavyweight, with two stipulations for Joshua - 10oz gloves and 245lbs weight limit.
It will be 'The Problem Child's' second stint at heavyweight, after a bout with 58-year-old retired fighter Mike Tyson in November last year. Paul came in a 227lbs for that controversial contest.
Usually, the 28-year-old American competes at cruiserweight (200lbs), but has steadily been bulking for the biggest, arguably first, test of his professional boxing career. Prior to this, he has built up a 12-1 record by fighting retired MMA fighters and inactive boxers. The only active pro boxer Paul has ever fought - Tommy Fury - resulted in defeat.
The celebrity boxer takes his punching career seriously and has been sharing the ring with some seriously big men.
On Friday, November 28, Paul shared a post on social media of himself in the gym with highly-ranked heavyweights Jared Anderson, Frank Sanchez and two-weight world champion Lawrence Okolie after a gruelling sparring session.
Who are Jake Paul's sparring partners?
Jared Anderson (18-1, 15 KOs): 'The Real Big Baby' was once considered the future of the heavyweight division, but a surprise crushing knockout loss to Martin Bakole in August 2024 saw his stock fall dramatically.
The 26-year-old, also from Ohio like Jake Paul, has since rebuilt and returned to winning ways with a 10-round decision win in February, and is now in line for an IBF final eliminator bout against Frank Sanchez, whom he seemingly just sparred.
Frank Sanchez (25-1, 18 KOs): 'The Cuban Flash' is also rebuilding his career after suffering his first defeat at the hands of formidable German, Agit Kabayel. The 33-year-old was stopped in seven rounds by the man who is now the WBC Interim world champion.
The Cuban also got back to winning ways in February, by knocking out a journeyman in three, and has since been patiently waiting to become the IBF's mandatory challenger, but has received multiple rejections so far.
Lawrence Okolie (22-1, 16 KOs): 'The Sauce' is a former WBC cruiserweight and bridgerweight world champion.
The Brit has lost just once, which came in a WBO world cruiserweight title defene to close friend and former teammate, Chris Billam-Smith, in 2023. The Londoner KO'd Lukasz Rozanski in May 2024 to win the WBC bridgerweight belt, then secured the WBC Silver title in his heavyweight debut with another first-round knockout in December.
He defended that championship to Kevin Lerena via unanimous decision in July this year, and is now preparing to return to action on December 19 for a headliner in Lagos, Nigeria.
Jake Paul's previous sparring partners
The Cleveland combatant's sparring partners are certainly a lot different from the last group he welcomed to his gym.
Before signing to fight two-time world heavyweight champion Joshua, Paul was readying to box WBA lightweight champion Gervonta Davis in an exhibition bout on November 14, even though the opponents were around eight weight classes apart.
So he had called upon the services of some elite lower-weight fighters to help prime his reflexes, sharpness and speed.
Among them were reigning WBC lightweight king Shakur Stevenson (24-0), former WBA featherweight champion Raymond Ford (18-1-1), and ex-WBO lightweight title holder Keyshawn Davis (13-0).
Paul had been due to meet 'Tank' at a catchweight of 195lbs, but the fight got cancelled after Davis' ex-girlfriend launched a civil lawsuit against the troubled Baltimore boxer, accusing him of domestic abuse.
