Who Is Jake Paul? Boxing record, career stats & fighter profile

Jake Paul has taken an unconventional route to becoming a professional boxer. 

The American, 28, initially found fame as a social media star before lacing up his gloves for the first time in August 2018 for a white-collar bout against another YouTube personality, Deji Olatunji. Paul's first professional fight in the ring came against AnEsonGib, who also found fame online, two years later.

He has since fought a mixture of MMA specialists and long-in-the-took boxers such as a near-60-year-old Mike Tyson to put together a 12-1 record.

The Problem Child clearly carries some power – seven of his wins have come inside the distance – but his showdown with two-time heavyweight world champion Anthony Joshua in Miami on Friday night represents a huge step up in class and weight. 

Can he overcome those significant disadvantages and stun the boxing world with a win over AJ?  

Career beginnings and family background

Jake Paul was born in Cleveland, Ohio, USA, and started boxing in 2018. 

He first found fame by posting videos on the now defunct streaming platform Vine before moving to YouTube. Paul has also worked as an actor and had a starring role in the Disney Channel series Bizaardvark. 

Paul remains active on social media and at times has courted controversy. In recent years, his profile as a fighter has increased and he has stressed a desire to become a world champion on numerous occasions. 

He is the co-founder of Most Valuable Promotions (MVP), who are promoting his upcoming clash with Joshua.     

Fight record and notable opponents

Jake Paul has a 12-1 record as a professional fighter and seven of his wins have come via stoppage.

Paul's one defeat came in his first test against an active professional boxer, a split decision defeat to Tommy Fury in 2023.

Jake Paul's sole defeat came against Tommy Fury in 2023Credit: Anadolu Agency

His most notable victory is a points win over Mike Tyson in late 2024. Paul managed to tempt Tyson out of retirement after nearly 20 years away from the ring and won on points after a largely uneventful eight rounds.

He outpointed another former world champion, Julio Cesar Chavez Jr, earlier this year in his most recent fight, although the Mexican has been largely inactive for the past five years.

Recent form

Since his defeat to Fury, Paul has put together a six-fight winning run by beating former UFC fighters Nate Diaz and Mike Perry, who currently competes with BKFC, as well as four specialist boxers. 

Before taking on Tyson and Chavez, Paul picked up wins over relative unknowns Andre August and Ryan Bourland.

Does Jake Paul have a chance against Anthony Joshua?

There have been some huge upsets in the history of boxing and Anthony Joshua knows what it is like to be on the wrong end of one.

AJ's first loss to Andy Ruiz Jr is regarded as one of the biggest shocks in the sport and he was also favourite going into his first bout with Oleksandr Usyk and again against Daniel Dubois when he last fought in 2024.

Paul probably has a speed advantage over Joshua and he clearly carries some power. Whether he has enough power to hurt AJ is another question entirely. 

The top five biggest upsets in boxing history

Jake Paul's strengths, weaknesses and fighting style

Strengths

Athleticism
Confidence
Form

Weaknesses

Size
Reach
Power
Experience
Technique

Style 

Jake Paul has borrowed Muhammad Ali's most famous quote in the build-up to Friday's fight and said he intends to "float like a butterfly and sting like a bee" when he steps into the ring with Joshua. 

He has proved to be a power puncher with a busy jab previously, but his footwork and defensive skills are open to debate.

Jake Paul vs Anthony Joshua betting odds

Here are the latest odds for Jake Paul vs Anthony Joshua on Friday, December 19 at the Kayesa Center in Miami.

Odds correct at time of publication

FAQs

How old is Jake Paul? 

Jake Paul is 28 years old.

What is Jake Paul's boxing record? 

His record stands at 12-1 with seven of his wins coming by way of knockout.

Who trains Jake Paul? 

Paul has put together a coaching team but his main trainer is Theotrice Chambers. He has reportedly added Don Charles to his team for his upcoming fight with Anthony Joshua, although this has not been confirmed. 

Has Jake Paul ever been stopped? 

Jake Paul has never been stopped in a boxing ring. His sole defeat came via split decision against Tommy Fury in 2023.

What weight class does Jake Paul fight at? 

Paul has spent the majority of his career at cruiserweight but he is stepping up to heavyweight to take on Anthony Joshua. The heavyweight division generally has no weight limit but this fight has a limit of 245lbs. 

Read more on Anthony Joshua vs Jake Paul:

Anthony Joshua vs Jake Paul: date, start time, odds and how to watch 

Anthony Joshua vs Jake Paul: Tale of the tape, key stats and fight breakdown  

Anthony Joshua: Boxing record, career stats & fighter profile  

The five biggest upsets in Boxing history 

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