Jake Paul’s attempt to frame his upcoming clash with Anthony Joshua through an NBA lens has produced one of the strangest pre-fight storylines of the year. In the buildup to their December 19 heavyweight bout, Paul tried to cast himself as Austin Reaves and Joshua as LeBron James.
The message was meant to sell himself as the underdog with something to prove, but it sparked more confusion than hype. Fans pushed back almost instantly, questioning both the analogy and Paul’s growing tendency toward melodramatic pre-fight messaging.
The YouTuber-turned-fighter has spent weeks portraying this bout as his moment to shock the world, contrasting his own resume with Joshua’s Olympic pedigree and championship history.
Jake Paul’s Lakers comparison ignites fan backlash
The online reaction to Paul’s analogy was immediate, sharp, and often mocking. In his post on X, Paul wrote, “He’s LeBron James and I’m Austin Reaves. He’s had all the accolades and I was undrafted. I respect the legend, but it’s my time.” Instead of rallying support, the comparison triggered a flood of responses pointing out its odd framing.
Some fans encouraged him, though with an unmistakable wink. “Austin Reaves hit 3s on LeBron in practice and still got that bag. You’re about to hit combos on AJ in front of 80k+ and the whole world on Netflix,” Aaron Dibert wrote, before calling Paul “undrafted to unstoppable.” Others were far harsher, with Kaijo Nurmsoo reminding Paul, “You’re not standing in front of LeBron, you’re standing in front of a nightmare.”
The replies only grew sharper. “Is that the future you speaking from the ambulance?” one user joked. Another dismissed the analogy outright, writing, “He’s more like LeBron and you’re like the birdman…” Several fans also questioned Paul’s legitimacy as a boxer. One user quipped that comparing Paul to Reaves was wrong because Reaves “is still a professional basketball player” while Paul “bought his way into the fight game.”
Anthony Joshua embraces the violence as stakes rise
At the Miami press event, Joshua promised to dismantle Paul. “If I’m being honest, I’m going to break his face,” he said. “I’m going to break his body up, I’m going to stomp all over him.” His promoter Eddie Hearn echoed that confidence, warning, “Be careful what you wish for.”
Paul, meanwhile, showed bold confidance. “I want him to cut me up, I want him to break my face,” he said. “But guess what, he’s gonna have to kill me to stop me, and I’m ready to die. Seriously, ready to die in the ring to win this fight.” His fixation on danger has raised eyebrows, especially given the massive size and experience gap between the two.
Joshua is preparing accordingly. He confirmed he has been training with members of Oleksandr Usyk’s team in Spain rather than returning to Ben Davison in the UK. “It’s been phenomenal,” he said. “It’s been a great experience and it’s very challenging.”
Paul was expected to fight lightweight champion Gervonta Davis before that bout was scrapped due to a lawsuit accusing Davis of intimate partner violence.
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Jake Paul says he’s ‘ready to die’ while Anthony Joshua details Usyk’s hardcore training ahead of Netflix fightGet an chance to win ₹5000 Amazon Voucher by taking part in India's Biggest Habit Index! Take the survey here Lachit Roy is a sports writer at The Times of India, where he cov...
Read MoreLachit Roy is a sports writer at The Times of India, where he covers the NBA, WWE, and other major international sporting events. With over five years of experience across different media houses, he has developed expertise in reporting, analysis, and storytelling. His sharp insights are complemented by a clear and engaging writing style. He holds a Master’s degree in Mass Communication and Journalism from Tezpur University. Beyond sports, Lachit is passionate about movies and enjoys gardening in his free time.
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