ANTHONY JOSHUA’s shock showdown with Jake Paul is completely “SCRIPTED”, a former world champion and long-time rival has sensationally claimed.
The London 2012 Olympic gold medallist throws down with the YouTube sensation in a Miami melee next Friday.
The booking of the fight stunned boxing fans due to the sheer gulf in class between the pair.
A vocal minority of fight fans have baselessly claimed the fight will have been “scripted” or “fixed” if former two-time heavyweight champion Joshua doesn’t demolish Paul.
And AJ’s long-time rival Deontay Wilder has joined that group by publicly declaring the fight is a complete work.
The former long-time WBC heavyweight king told the Daily Mail: “I think the fight is scripted.”
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Former Disney star Paul has repeatedly faced baseless claims of fight fixing throughout his professional boxing career.
But Wilder is adamant that a number of the fights on the 28-year-old’s resume have had pre-determined outcomes.
The Bronze Bomber continued: “I think his [Paul’s] fights in general have been scripted before.
“That’s just my strong opinion. It could be what it is and what we see is what we get. But I really think it’s scripted, you know.
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Jake Paul vs Anthony Joshua – all the info
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The world will stand still come December 19 as the face of British boxing Anthony Joshua is all set to go up against social media sensation Jake Paul.
AJ steps in on a month’s notice after Paul’s ‘David vs Goliath’ Gervonta Davis clash was axed due to Tank’s civil suit case.
And Joshua will be desperate not to suffer the same fate as legends Mike Tyson and Julio Cesar Chavez Jr who both lost to YouTuber-turned-boxer Paul.
Particularly as a handsome figure was negotiated to get this Judgement Day deal over the line due to AJ’s DAZN contract.
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“And even more I’m thinking it with this fight now.
“Because now you are really dealing with somebody that’s active, that was a former champion still going, you know. I mean, he’s a real boxer. It has to be scripted.”
Joshua, 36, dismissed claims that his first outing since his brutal KO loss to Daniel Dubois last September is in any way fixed.
When asked by TMZ if he’s contractually obliged to take it “easy” on Paul, he said: “Honestly, I haven’t seen that part. But no, there’s no clause.
“I heard that he fought Mike Tyson in 14oz gloves.
“I heard that he was going to fight Gervonta [Davis] in 12oz gloves and then he’s chose to fight me in 10oz gloves. So there’s no clause.
“God, he wants to go easy. I think he wants to hurt me. I think he wants to take me out.”
Paul has vehemently denied outrageous allegations of fight fixing down the years.
And in the summer, he threatened to take legal action, with the help of Elon Musk‘s lawyer Alex Spiro. against anyone who insinuates the outcomes of his fights are predetermined.
I think the fight is scripted.”
Deontay Wilder on Jake Paul vs Anthony Joshua
In August, he wrote on X: “I’ve dedicated my life to boxing.
“And I will no longer let those with a public profile harm me or the sport I love and respect, without consequences.”
In an interview with the Daily Mail, Paul’s business partner Nakisa Bidarian said of the fight fixing claims: “‘In our 13 fights with Jake, there has never been a single stipulation in any contract that hasn’t been public, right? Number one
‘Number two, the only time there was odd stipulations vs professional boxing was against Mike Tyson because it was two-minute rounds – which for men is usually three – and it was 14-ounce gloves.
“Both things were public, both things were part of the approval process, and it was still viewed as a professional fight by the Texas Athletic Commission.
“So, the only criticism I will ever accept around that fight not being real is if you say that by the standardised, most commonly used definition of professional boxing, that fight did not follow that.
“The suggestion that Mike Tyson got paid more if it went longer, or Mike Tyson – the one I see most – was pulling his punches, is beyond mind-blowing, because that is a federal crime.”
