Former world champion George Groves has delivered a stark ultimatum regarding Anthony Joshua’s forthcoming bout with Jake Paul in Miami on 19 December.
The ex-super-middleweight titlist insists the Watford fighter must secure victory within half a minute to avoid damaging speculation.
“If he doesn’t annihilate him in the first 30 seconds then it looks fixed,” Groves told SunSport’s Split Decision programme.
The 36-year-old Joshua faces an eight-round contest against the 28-year-old American celebrity boxer.
Anthony Joshua has faced criticism for agreeing to fight Jake Paul
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Groves acknowledged that whilst a lacklustre performance might simply indicate poor form, the brevity of success remains crucial.
“If he doesn’t knock him out in 30 seconds I would think he has just had a bit of a stinker but it doesn’t mean it’s fixed,” he explained.
Paul’s recent performances have drawn significant scrutiny from boxing enthusiasts.
The American suffered his sole meaningful defeat against Tommy Fury in 2023, before securing contentious decision victories against 58-year-old Mike Tyson and 39-year-old Julio Cesar Chavez Jr.
These lacklustre exhibitions prompted widespread online speculation about potential match-fixing.
Jake Paul had been looking for a new opponent after Gervonta Davis pulled out | REUTERS
Joshua’s own trajectory presents a stark contrast, having suffered a devastating loss to Daniel Dubois fourteen months ago.
However, the British heavyweight demonstrated his destructive capabilities in March 2024, dismantling 19-stone MMA powerhouse Francis Ngannou in under five minutes.
This emphatic performance showcased Joshua at his most ruthless, providing a template for what Groves believes must occur against Paul to preserve credibility.
Joshua’s proposed timeline encompasses the Paul encounter, a February warm-up bout in Saudi Arabia, and culminates with the long-awaited Tyson Fury clash in September.
George Groves believes Anthony Joshua must knock Jake Paul out in 30 seconds
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However, Groves harbours reservations about this extended schedule.
“The longer Joshua leaves it, the more it looks like the best option is to not box again,” Groves cautioned.
He questioned Fury’s readiness to return after prolonged inactivity, stating: “He won’t spend two years out of the ring and then come straight back in and fight Joshua, there will be more to it.”
Groves expressed his preference for an immediate showdown between the British heavyweights.
“I wanted Fury and Joshua to happen now, I don’t want them to come back and rebuild and work toward another world title. I just want them to come back and fight each other to show who the best is.”
Joshua’s standing amongst British boxing’s elite faces scrutiny, with notable omissions marking his record.
Groves, appearing alongside former rival Carl Froch on the YouTube programme, highlighted the absence of a Deontay Wilder encounter from Joshua’s résumé.
Additionally, Joshua’s victory over Wladimir Klitschko came eighteen months after Fury had already dethroned the Ukrainian champion.
Both Groves and Froch concurred that featuring Paul on Joshua’s record would diminish his achievements.
“The best thing Anthony Joshua can do now is fight Tyson Fury,” Groves emphasised. Yet he acknowledged the financial temptation, adding: “But – if he’s in the business for free money – then he should take the Jake Paul fight.”
