Anthony Joshua isn’t entertaining moral victories ahead of his highly anticipated clash with Jake Paul on Friday. For the former two-time unified heavyweight champion, simply beating Paul isn’t enough — anything short of a dominant, one-sided demolition would be a serious disappointment.
While analysts debate what success might look like for Paul, widely viewed as a massive underdog, expectations are flipped for Joshua. Many believe Paul lasting the distance — or even surviving a round — could be framed as a sentimental win. Joshua strongly disagrees, insisting that even a competitive fight would reflect badly on him.
“Let’s taper what failure is,” Joshua told CBS Sports. “The first level of failure is the loss — that’s the worst outcome. The next level of failure is a competitive eight-round fight — that’s a big failure on my part. There are so many different levels of failure within this.”
Despite the mismatch on paper, Joshua says he’s taking nothing for granted. With far more experience, superior skill, and clear physical advantages, some might expect him to coast through preparation. But Joshua maintains he’s fully locked in.
“There’s a lot at stake, and I don’t want to lose myself,” he added.
If Joshua’s emphatic knockout of Francis Ngannou proved anything, it’s that he doesn’t show up unprepared — regardless of the opponent. Come Friday, Joshua believes only a swift and decisive victory will meet his own standard.
