Former world heavyweight champion Shannon Briggs has shared his thoughts on the controversial match-up between Anthony Joshua and Jake Paul.
British heavyweight great Joshua is gearing up to do battle with the YouTuber-turned-boxer on Friday December 19 at the Kaseya Center in Miami, Florida.
Their controversial match-up has captured the attention of millions around the world, with many fans and analysts questioning Paul’s decision to pursue a showdown with the two-time world heavyweight champion.
Joshua has been inactive since he suffered a shock fifth round stoppage defeat to countryman Daniel Dubois at Wembley Stadium in September 2024, falling short in his attempt at becoming a world champion once again.
‘The Problem Child’ made his return to action on June 28 when he defeated former WBC middleweight champion Julio Cesar Chavez Jr at the Honda Center in Anaheim, earning himself a cruiserweight world ranking with the WBA in the process.
Former WBO heavyweight champion Briggs worked alongside Paul in the early stages of his professional career and has now shared his verdict on the controversial match-up.
Speaking to Fight Hype, Briggs says that whilst he is unsure of what the outcome is going to be, he claims he will be ‘quite surprised’ if the fight lasts longer than one round.
“I don’t know what’s going to happen with this fight. If it goes more than one round I’m going to be quite surprised … It’s entertainment. It’s Netflix entertainment. Have fun, make money, and if you put him in the hospital he got enough money to pay the bills anyways.”
Whilst a long period of inactivity could prove to be crucial for Joshua, the 36-year-old from England appears to be confident heading into his return to the ring and has vowed to break Paul’s face when they lock horns next week.
