New footage of Anthony Joshua in training for this month’s fight against Jake Paul has become a big talking point online, with fans commenting on his lean physique.
For the first time in his career, Joshua has a strict contracted weight limit ahead of a professional bout.
The two-time heavyweight world champion, who weighed just over 252lbs in his last bout against Daniel Dubois last year, cannot weigh more than 245lbs for the eight-round contest on December 19.
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It must be noted that there is no restriction on how much weight Joshua can add on after the official weigh-in.
Earlier this month, AJ responded to concerns with an update regarding his weight on social media. “They must have forgot,” he said alongside a video of himself stepping on the scales.
“I’m used to dealing with big weights & scales. 243.8lbs.”
With just over a week until fight night, a training clip of Joshua has emerged, where he can be seen practising his coordination and reflexes by punching a tennis ball attached to a cap.
Here’s how fans on social media have reacted to the video.
One said: “Nah wait Jake actually might cook him he looks so skinny,” and a second commented: “Damn he looks tiny here.”
A third wrote: “Damn he looks tiny here,” and a fourth said: “WTF he looks so skinny”
A fifth added: “Probably the slimmest i’ve seen him, he doesn’t need to be heavy v Jake Paul tbh.”
Ahead of the contest in Miami, promoter Eddie Hearn has given an insight into Joshua’s condition.
“He’s really dialled in as if he was fighting an elite heavyweight,” Hearn told talkSPORT. “The one thing he always does is take everything seriously and he is doing so for this, he’s in tremendous shape.
“The difference is in this fight is he has to make a specific weight which is a lot lighter than he would be going into this fight. But he’s on track and is in Miami with not long to go until the fight.
“I can’t believe what’s about to happen, to be honest.”
He added: “Yeah, he’s ready to go and do a job on him, and I just can’t believe we’ve signed the contract to fight him.”
