HIGHLIGHTS
- Jake Paul’s sparring injuries revealed—here’s what he said on The Pat McAfee Show
- When and how to watch the Paul vs. Joshua fight on December 19. Here are the answers.
- Why this camp might be the most grueling of Paul’s boxing career
Jake Paul appears to be taking his upcoming fight with Anthony Joshua very seriously and it’s only helping to increase the hype around the already highly anticipated event.
With news spreading about Paul suffering injuries in sparring as he attempts to prepare to face the former heavyweight champion, the Problem Child’s recent appearance on the Pat McAfee Show added legitimacy to the rumors.
What Injuries Has Jake Paul Suffered In Camp?
Paul showed up on The Pat McAfee Show with a visibly bent, swollen nose and remnants of a black eye. When McAfee asked about it, Paul didn’t hold back.
He admitted his nose has gotten “more crooked” and that sparring heavyweights has “moved” his nose a couple of millimeters this camp. Paul specifically credited Frank Sanchez with cracking it, calling the damage “pretty bad.”
Paul has been sparring big heavyweights like Sanchez, Lawrence Okolie, and others to prepare for Joshua. The work is clearly taking a toll. Multiple outlets have described his nose as broken or fractured, though Paul himself stopped short of a formal medical diagnosis. He said he’s not sure if it’s fully broken while acknowledging it looks and feels worse than before.
The exact quote making the rounds is simple: “My nose has moved a couple millimeters this camp.” That line has been clipped into headlines and social videos, often alongside sparring footage where Paul is getting tagged clean by his heavyweight partners.
Here is the entire interview with McAfee.
I covered the cancellation rumors earlier this week when former WBC heavyweight champion Bermane Stiverne claimed Paul was injured and the fight might be off. Another former world champion, Carl Froch also claims the fight isn’t happening.
This McAfee appearance confirms Paul has been banged up in camp, but he’s clearly still planning to fight.
When Is The Fight And How Can You Watch?
The fight is scheduled for Friday, December 19, 2025, at Kaseya Center in Miami, Florida. It’s an eight-round heavyweight bout with three-minute rounds and 10-oz gloves. The event streams globally on Netflix with no additional pay-per-view fee.
For a full breakdown of the fight week schedule and the estimated payouts for both fighters, I’ve got you covered.
Why Is This Camp Different?
Paul has never faced anyone like Joshua.
The former two-time unified heavyweight champion carries legitimate knockout power and has shared the ring with some of the best heavyweights of his generation. To prepare, Paul had to bring in real heavyweights—guys who hit hard and don’t take it easy.
Sanchez is a top-10 heavyweight contender.
Okolie is a former cruiserweight world champion who has moved up in weight. These aren’t YouTubers or retired fighters. They’re active professionals who can hurt you.
The visible damage on Paul’s face tells the story. This is the most grueling camp of his boxing career, and it’s by design. If Paul can survive rounds with Sanchez and Okolie, the thinking goes, he’ll be better prepared for what Joshua brings on fight night.
The Paul-Joshua fight is a significant and appropriate close to an entertaining and groundbreaking year in the sport. The year 2025 has seen Paul’s profile grow even bigger than it was following his fight with Mike Tyson in 2024.
We’re preparing for Zuffa Boxing to make its imprint on the sport and we’ve seen a glimpse of what that could look like with the Terence Crawford vs. Canelo Alvarez superfight.
While 2025 will end with a bang, it’s setting the table for what could be an even bigger year for boxing in 2026.
