MIAMI – Don’t expect Anthony Joshua to take it easy on Jake Paul.
Joshua (28-4) is a massive favorite to defeat Paul (12-1) in their boxing match Friday at Kaseya Center in Miami. The event streams live on Netflix.
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With Joshua vs. Paul being a clear mismatch on paper, and with many observers expecting Joshua to win by knockout, the former two-time unified heavyweight champion was asked if any part of him wants to hold back against Paul.
“Zero part of me,” Joshua told reporters, including MMA Junkie, during a media scrum Tuesday. “It’s not even that it’s Jake. I was actually looking at myself today. I’m a very respectful guy, brought up by a good family, but if I can kill you, I will kill you. That’s just how I am, and this is just the job I do, so let’s go.
“I’m carrying boxing on my back. I did it with the Francis Ngannou fight, and I’m going to do it again. I understand the expectation. I don’t carry it because the expectation I have on myself is already enough, but I understand it, I acknowledge it, and I respect it.”
More: Jake Paul: Anthony Joshua has to ‘kill me to stop me’
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Joshua was asked about the most significant change since teaming up with his former foe, Oleksandr Usyk, for his training camp.
“Maybe that I pray more,” Joshua said. “That’s important, and I learned that from the team, the importance of prayer. So yeah, that’s important to me. So yeah, I pray more now.”
This article originally appeared on MMA Junkie: Anthony Joshua sends chilling message before Jake Paul fight
