This Friday in Miami, a sporting spectacle will unfold that has critics reaching for the history books. Former heavyweight world champion and Olympic gold medallist Anthony Joshua will step into the ring with YouTube star-turned-boxer Jake Paul. The financial rewards are staggering, with each man reportedly set to pocket around £70 million. Yet, for many purists, the event represents a profound low for the noble art of boxing, drawing unfavourable comparisons with the sport's more cynical past.
An Echo from History: The 'Bum of the Month' Club
The bout has prompted reflections on a much-derided chapter in boxing history. 85 years ago, the great heavyweight champion Joe Louis was midway through his infamous 'Bum of the Month Club' – a relentless schedule of title defences against largely overmatched opponents. One such fight, against Al McCoy in Boston on 16 December 1940, ended in a storm of jeers despite Louis's victory. The champion won, but only his bank balance was enhanced.
Sean Ingle, writing for The Guardian, argues this week's event makes Louis vs McCoy look like the legendary 'Rumble in the Jungle'. The mismatch in pedigree is glaring. Paul, 28, made his professional debut only in 2020 and has fought just 13 times. He has competed above the cruiserweight limit of 14st 4lb only once, in a plodding victory over a 58-year-old Mike Tyson. Joshua, despite recent setbacks, carries the power and experience forged in 13 world title contests.
A Dangerous Mismatch and a Broken Social Contract
The physical disparity alone is cause for alarm. Joshua is expected to enter the ring roughly three stone heavier than his opponent, raising serious questions about why any sanctioning body would approve the fight. Promoter Eddie Hearn and Joshua himself insist the contest will not be 'managed', leading to fears for Paul's safety. The best hope, it seems, is that the social media star does not leave the ring seriously injured.
Beyond the ring, commentators suggest the fight shreds boxing's unspoken social contract. The sport's inherent risks, now better understood through research into subconcussive brain impacts, have traditionally been offset by its discipline and community value. This event, a pure pay-per-view spectacle driven by Netflix's quest to beat the 65 million concurrent streams of Paul vs Tyson, offers none of that redemption. It is, in the view of many, a cynical cash grab that spits on the sport's traditions.
Nothing New Under the Sun: Tony Galento's Cosmic Punch
While some credit Paul for bringing a new audience to boxing, history shows his antics are mild. Joe Louis faced a roster of colourful self-promoters. Tony 'Two Ton' Galento fought a bear and a kangaroo for publicity and promised to 'moider da bum'. Another opponent, Lou Nova, claimed to possess a 'cosmic punch' learned from his yoga trainer. Louis dealt with them all, though not without occasional difficulty and distraction.
Louis later defended his choices, driven by financial necessity and tax troubles, stating plainly: 'those guys I fought were not bums.' The question posed to Anthony Joshua is more pointed: what is his excuse for participating in what is widely seen as a degrading freak show? The fight will happen, the millions will be banked, but the cost to the credibility of Joshua and his sport may be far greater.
