A former Heavyweight boxing champion has claimed that the upcoming Jake Paul vs Anthony Joshua fight has been called off.
The fight, which is supposed to be just in just nine days, shocked the world when Paul and Joshua were announced to be fighting in an upcoming card broadcast on Netflix.
The former YouTuber has over the years began fighting more and more impressive opposition, going from beating up other YouTubers to knocking out former UFC World Champions.
The fight against Joshua, a former world Heavyweight boxing champion, came as a shock for many though with many calling it ‘unsafe’.
Those worrying for Paul’s health may be breathing a sigh of relief however as a former world champion has claimed the fight is set to be called off.
Jake Paul’s fight with AJ may be off (Cris Esqueda/Golden Boy/Getty Images)
Rumours began swirling of the fight being called off earlier this week when Paul was shown with a black eye, but when asked he played down the issue.
Paul said: “I’m sparring a bunch of world champion heavyweights, I think Lawrence Okolie did that to me, he’s like 6ft 6in, 270lbs.”
Bermane Stiverne, a former WBC Heavyweight World Champion, has stated that the fight is set to be called off due to the injury to Jake Paul.
He told Gambleonline.ca, per SportBible: “I’ve just heard somewhere that he was injured, that it’s not happening.
“I don’t know. I just heard not long ago it was cancelled. I don’t know what’s going on.
“Lawrence Okolie gave him a black eye or something and from what I heard the fight is not happening after sparring sessions [with world ranked fighters].
“It might be a lie, or it might be true, but I don’t know. That’s what I was hearing and it wouldn’t surprise me.”
Anthony Joshua and Jake Paul (Jesus Olarte/Anadolu via Getty Images)
Stiverne won the vacant WBC Heavyweight belt in 2014, beating Cristobal Arreola. He went on to lose twice to Deontay Wilder, becoming the first man to take the Bronze Bomber the distance.
The fight between the pair, if it were to go ahead, is set to be a full professional bought, though Anthony Joshua has agreed to a 245 lb weight limit.
Paul’s last fight, against Julio Chavez Jr, saw him weigh in at just under 200 lbs.
Joshua meanwhile weighed in at 252 lbs in his last fight.
Speaking about the fight, former rival of Joshua’s Dillian Whyte has suggested that the Heavyweight boxer is ‘lost’ after announcing he would be training with Oleksandr Usyk’s coach.
He said: “It seems like he’s wandering, he’s a bit lost, it seems like he’s looking for something that he’s not going to find in a boxing trainer.
“He needs to find it within himself, deep down within himself. No boxing trainer can help him with it.”
