When Anthony Joshua made his professional debut against Emmanuel Leo in 2013, fresh from Olympic gold in London, the boxing world treated it like the start of a coronation.
At roughly the same time, a 16-year-old prankster from Ohio named Jake Paul was posting six-second Vine videos - chatting to pineapples in supermarkets and climbing into strangers’ shopping trolleys for a laugh.
More than a decade later, through wildly different routes, the pair have arrived at the same place.
This Friday, in Miami, they will share a ring in a professional heavyweight contest that still feels faintly unreal.
I was a big boxing fan back in the late 70’s and 80’s. Hearns, Sugar Ray, Marvelous Marvin, Spinks, Duran, Tyson … the list was filled with some of the greatest fighters who’ve ever lived. Trust me when I say I’ve watched some wicked battles in my day.
This won’t be one of them. It’s gonna be a slaughter from the get-go. I dunno if I’m gonna watch, but if I do it’ll only be in the hope that Jake Paul gets his ass whooped.
Yeah, as if it’s not a rigged fight from the get-go.
It’s the only reason anybody watches any of his fights, but the dickweed keeps winning. Everything about this fight suggests that he’s gonna finally get his face caved in, but I’m not holding my breath.
I’m not sure he “wins” the fights, but he pays enough to not lose.
I’ve only ever watched ‘highlights’ of his fights, mostly because he wasn’t a pro and I expected him to lose … which he didn’t.
This time is different. It’s a pro-sanctioned fight and if the tale of the tape is any indication Jake will be lucky if he walks out of the ring.
I’ll happily watch it afterwards if I know Paul’s brain has been turned into soup. Otherwise, why bother?