“We have a license to kill,” Anthony Joshua repeats chilling warning to Paul

In a fiery final press conference at The Fillmore Miami Beach on Wednesday, Anthony Joshua and Jake Paul escalated their war of words just days before their heavyweight clash, with both men claiming to carry the future of boxing on their shoulders.

The fight is scheduled for Friday night, December 19, at the Kaseya Center and streamed globally on Netflix.

However, it has drawn intense criticism over safety concerns and competitive legitimacy.

Anthony Joshua (28-4, 25KOs), the two-time unified heavyweight champion from the UK, framed his mission in stark terms.

Joshua said, “If we look at the people that don’t want me to be here, but want me to put an end to ‘the Jake Paul show,’ I understand it. That’s why I carry boxing on my back with this fight.”

On the other hand, Paul (12-1, 7KOs), the YouTube sensation turned prizefighter, also made a bold counter claim about his impact on the sport, stating, “No one has done more for the sport of boxing the last decade than myself. So if people cared about boxing, they would want me to win.

Safety concerns and “kill” comments

The bout, sanctioned as an eight-round professional contest with 10-ounce gloves, has been labeled a “catastrophic mismatch” by some in the boxing community.

Joshua stands 6’6’’ and is required to weigh no more than 245 pounds. While, Paul who’s naturally leaner stands at 6 '1, last fought around 200 pounds.

The safety concerns escalated when Joshua was asked Tuesday, December 16, if he would hold back against Paul.

Joshua responded, “If I can kill you, I’ll kill.”

He doubled down on Wednesday, December 17, stating, “It’s my job we fight. We have a license to kill. You hope your opponent leaves the ring safely, but if they don’t, you still have to go to bed knowing you just did your job.”

Promoter Eddie Hearn responded to the situation saying, “Please stop with that bul****t. This is a professional sanctioned contest. Imagine saying to Mike Tyson, ‘Yeah mate, don’t hit me.”

The stakes and the purse

The fight marks a return for Joshua after a 14-month layoff following his fifth round knockout loss to Daniel Dubois. He insists it’s not about the money, but “about the opportunity to showcase my skills to the world.”

Meanwhile, Paul claimed to be the high-risk, high-reward underdog. “I believe he’s locked in. He knows that this could potentially be the biggest loss of his career. I’ve got him in the corner,” he said.

As per initial reports, there’s a shared purse of $184 million, Paul claimed on social media the total had ballooned to $267 million. Joshua joked, “The only thing in the contract that got my attention was the money.”