Jake Paul’s safety has continued to dominate the narrative around his bout with Anthony Joshua after combat sports icon Conor McGregor becoming the latest high-profile figure to express concern for the Youtuber-turned-boxer.

Paul steps into the ring against Joshua on December 20 (AEDT) which is due to take place over eight three-minute rounds in Miami.

Many in the boxing world have wondered out loud how the Paul-Joshua bout was made.

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Paul, with a 12-1 record five years into his boxing career, is usually accustomed to fighting retired UFC fighters or champions well past their prime.

Jake Paul Anadolu via Getty Images

However, Joshua’s aura of invincibility is long gone following consecutive losses to reigning heavyweight champion Oleksandr Usyk in 2021 and 2022, and in a fifth-round knockout loss against fellow Englishman Daniel Dubois last year.

While his chin is highly questionable, Joshua’s (28-4, 25 KOs) punching power can’t be denied, with 25 of his 28 professional victories have coming via knockout.

“If he makes that walk, you gotta give him his respect for that,” former two-division UFC champion McGregor told TMZ this week.

“It’s very dangerous. It seems like Netflix are all over him. It’s a dangerous sport. And you can’t overlook that.

“Joshua’s a big boy and a powerhouse. I’ve sat ringside and watched Joshua. That’s a heavy-punching man. He’s a happy, good guy, but he has an anger in him.

“He has a darkness in him does Anthony Joshua. I don’t think a lot of people see that. The fight shouldn’t go ahead in my opinion.

“But if he does it, I’ll give him his respect for that.”

Current heavyweight champion Usyk also warned Paul about the dynamics at play.

“If Anthony Joshua wants, he can kill this guy,” Usyk said.

Joshua’s size advantage on show. Anadolu via Getty Images

“Joshua is an Olympic champion. Jake Paul, he’s a sportsman, YouTube…showman. Rolls Royce…Fiat. Listen, it’s true. It’s business, more money. Only this.

“I will pray for Jake Paul because I want a fight with him in the octagon.

“As a fan, I want a Joshua facing [Tyson] Fury. Listen, I will try to help.”

Usyk has helped Joshua prepare for the fight at his training base in Spain and will likely lend a hand to the Brit for his potential fight with Tyson Fury in 2026.

Swedish heavyweight Otto Wallin, who has faced Joshua three times, twice as an amateur and once as a pro, does not have fond memories of facing Joshua.

He told Reuters the British boxer is the hardest hitter he has ever faced, with Wallin’s corner calling a stop to their fight in 2023 after five rounds, leaving the big Swede with some painful memories.

“For Jake Paul, I think it’s pretty dangerous to face Joshua because he hits so incredibly hard. I know that – he hits like no other I’ve ever faced,” Wallin said, a note of incredulity in his voice that the fight was taking place at all.

“I don’t understand why Jake Paul is taking this fight – they must be seriously underestimating Joshua, but I don’t think I’ll believe the fight is happening until they’re actually in the ring.”

For Wallin, who built his reputation with a tremendous display of courage to take Tyson Fury the distance in Las Vegas in 2019, the match-up is a handy one for Joshua.

A beat up Otto Wallin after his defeat to Joshua. Getty

“He’s facing a cruiserweight that isn’t that good. It should be just a simple win for Joshua, and he’ll make a lot of money from it. It’s a dangerous sport and he (Paul) can get knocked out badly and injured in this match,” he said.

Though he absorbed a lot of heavy blows from Fury in their epic contest, Wallin says there is no doubt that “AJ” is far more dangerous, and he points to Joshua’s second-round KO of former UFC heavyweight champion Francis Ngannou as evidence.

“Joshua hits unbelievably hard, harder than anyone I’ve ever known. Just look at what he did against Ngannou, and he’s bigger and stronger and better than Jake Paul,” he said.

Though many in the boxing world have looked down on “influencer boxers” such as Paul, Wallin has spoken positively in the past about how they are attracting a new audience to the sport, but he is doubtful that Paul has even the slightest chance against a former world champion.

“I think that Joshua wins pretty easily and pretty quickly – he knocked out Ngannou in two rounds, and Jake Paul won’t take that long either,” he said.

– with Reuters