Eddie Hearn has pushed back at recent remarks from Jake Paul‘s manager, Nakisa Bidarian, after he suggested that Anthony Joshua would be an “easier fight than Gervonta Davis” due to the American possessing greater natural speed.
The boxing promoter insists that AJ will reveal genuine sharpness when he meets Paul on 19 December in Miami, stressing that the belief coming from Jake’s camp irritates him because it implies they see the Brit as physically diminished.
The promoter argues that Paul and Bidarian are only confident because Joshua enters the bout after a long break and a knockout defeat, a pattern that once hurt AJ before when Andy Ruiz stopped him following another extended layoff.
“You can’t goad AJ to say something outrageous,” Hearn said to Seconds Out. “He’s going to say, ‘Listen, I respect you. You’re going to get punished. No mercy,’ as he say.”
Paul, however, does not appear focused on provoking Joshua, instead trusting in his timing and punching power while identifying defensive gaps in AJ’s approach that he feels could shift the momentum toward an unlikely upset.
Hearn counters that Paul is leaning on selective evidence, pointing to AJ’s inactivity, age and previous defeat, noting that those around Jake repeat these ideas to reinforce a belief that they can expose a supposedly fragile heavyweight.
“It’s not shorter rounds. It’s a real fight,” Hearn added. “He’s saying all the things that people are telling him to make him believe that he has a chance. ‘What about the Andy Ruiz fight?’
“‘He’s been out 14 months.’ Even Nakisa said, ‘This is an easier fight than Gervonta because Gervonta had the speed.’ Mate, wait until you see AJ’s speed. It’s going to be frightening.”
AJ working with Oleksandr Usyk’s team ahead of Paul clash?
Joshua is not expected to be coached directly by Usyk for the December bout, though one adviser suggested the Ukrainian icon could play a larger role in future if their collaboration continues to evolve naturally.
Joshua meets Paul in an eight-round professional contest using 10oz gloves, with the two-time champion capped at 245lb during the weigh-in, though free to rehydrate without restrictions before the opening bell in Miami.
Fans were already puzzled by the matchmaking, and Joshua added intrigue by revealing he has recently trained with Usyk’s team, a move he confirmed beside Paul during a press event that hinted at a shift in his preparation style.
“I won’t be trained by Ben Davison,” AJ said. “I said that London’s a bit distracting to me,” later explaining he had accepted an invitation to work in Spain with members of Team Usyk who are known for demanding tactical precision.
“I was invited to train with Team Usyk, so we’ve been doing some good training in Spain. He’s one of the best in the world, [that’s] also down to his team.
“I don’t spar with Usyk. He’s been somewhere else, he’s in and out of camp, [but] Ben said, ‘One hundred per cent, that’s a great move [to join Team Usyk].’
“They’re killing me, drilling me.'”
Usyk defeated Joshua twice by decision in their championship encounters, asserting his technical dominance, yet their rivalry appears to have led AJ toward admiration and even professional curiosity about the Ukrainian’s methods.
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