‘Leave me alone’ – Joshua shoves Paul’s fist aside

Anthony Joshua pushed Jake Paul’s fist away from his face and told him «don’t touch me» as the pair faced off at Thursday’s weigh-in in Miami.

Briton Joshua weighed in almost two stone heavier than boxing novice Paul for Friday’s controversial heavyweight bout.

Two-time world champion Joshua, 36, raised his fist towards Paul first, but appeared irritated when the 28-year-old responded in kind.

Joshua then made a throat-slitting gesture as Paul walked away – another unwelcome sight following the Londoner’s «kill» comments earlier in the week.

After the weigh-in, Joshua sought to play down the exchange, insisting there was «mutual respect» between the pair.

Asked what he had said to Paul, he replied: «Don’t touch me.»

He added: «I’ll just outclass this kid. I’m a serious fighter. That’s the difference. I’m a serious, serious fighter.»

The pair crossed paths again during Joshua’s interview, with Paul continuing to goad him.

«He’s top heavy. Look at those legs. Chicken legs,» Paul said, as Joshua’s promoter Eddie Hearn shook his head and laughed.

«I smell fear. I see something in his eyes, I truly do,» Paul added.

«The pressure is on him. I’m fighting free. I’ve already won. This is a lose-lose situation for him. I’ve got him right where I want him.»

The next time they lock eyes will be in the ring for their eight-round bout at Miami’s Kaseya Center.

A low-key, media-only weigh-in took place on Thursday morning at the Fontainebleau hotel, before a ceremonial weigh-in later in the day at the Fillmore Miami Beach.

Heavyweights do not usually have to make weight, but Joshua was required to come in under 17st 7lb (111kg) – reflecting the gulf in experience between the fighters.

He tipped the scales at 17st 5lb (110kg), with Paul weighing 15st 7lb (98kg).

At the official weigh-in earlier, Paul stepped on the scales calmly before breaking into a brief, animated and somewhat confusing tirade.

«Do you know who I am? I am him,» he shouted, eyes wide, as he gestured towards the assembled media.

Paul was the heaviest he has weighed in at – 3lb more than for his fight against Mike Tyson last year.

The weight discrepancy has been a major talking point.

Paul has operated largely at cruiserweight for much of his boxing career.

Joshua was never expected to miss the limit, having posted a video on social media two weeks ago showing himself already on target.

He has comfortably made similar weights before, including for both fights against generational great Oleksandr Usyk. At his heaviest, he was 18st 3lb (118kg) during his professional career.

Briton Caroline Dubois smiled her way to the stage as she also made weight for her WBC lightweight world title defence against Camilla Panatta.

Dubois, 24, looked strong at the weight, with both fighters coming in one pound under the 9st 9lb (61kg) limit.

The Londoner exchanged words with her Italian opponent as they faced off.

«I said I was going to break her and that’s exactly what I am going to do,» Dubois said afterwards.

She was also involved in a lively exchange with super-featherweight Alycia Baumgardner, who also features on the card, at Wednesday’s news conference.

Dubois is unbeaten, with 11 wins and one draw, and this contest marks her first appearance under Paul’s Most Valuable Promotions, which has invested heavily in women’s boxing.

Long considered one of the future faces of the sport, Dubois now steps on to the global stage, with the event being broadcast on Netflix.

The platform’s worldwide subscriber base of more than 300 million offers significant exposure, particularly for fighters on the undercard.