Boxing expert Steve Bunce says Anthony Joshua was given an “offer he simply couldn’t refuse” to fight Jake Paul.
Britain’s Joshua, the former two-time unified heavyweight champion, will take on YouTuber-turned-boxer Paul at the Kaseya Centre in Miami on December 19.
The fight will consist of eight three-minute rounds, and both fighters will wear regulation 10-ounce gloves.
Joshua, 36, weighed more than 250 pounds during his previous three fights, but he must come in at under 245 pounds for the bout.
Bunce said that the fight is “ridiculous” and 28-year-old American Paul is nothing more than a “novice”, but added he can understand the financial appeal for Joshua, who is reportedly set to earn £36.9m ($50m).
“Last November, Jake Paul fought Mike Tyson and nearly broke the world,” Bunce told BBC Radio 5 Live.
“They had something ridiculous like 300 million people watching on different channels and were paid something along those lines in dollars as well.
“And that’s the reason this fight is happening. Let’s get it right. AJ has been given an offer he couldn’t refuse, and he has accepted.
“I would not deny a single man or woman that boxes professionally a pound note, penny, a cent, a dime, the money for any fight.
“If AJ is being paid as handsomely as we’re told, bear in mind he does much work for the community with his foundation, if it spreads the love around and absolutely loads up his pockets, I’ve no problem with it.”
Bunce said Joshua is “still in talks” over fighting fellow Briton Tyson Fury, and the Paul bout will be “one of the final paydays” for the 2012 Olympic champion, despite an apparent mismatch.
“AJ will be at least six inches taller, and he will be perhaps four stone heavier. He’s an Olympic champion, remember – we overlook that fact,” Bunce said.
“Jake Paul is a terrific novice. He’s a great novice in a weight division below – cruiserweight – and that’s what he is: a novice. But he’s a novice who conjures up these ridiculous fights.”
Nakisa Bidarian, co-founder of Most Valuable Promotions and Paul’s manager, said he had no concerns about the fight on safety grounds.
“I don’t think it’s reckless in any way, shape, or form,” he told BBC Sport.
“Jake’s in a much better position than many fights that happen in boxing regularly. I think he has a great shot.
“AJ is big, strong, but slower. He’s more vulnerable to Jake’s movement. In my mind, this is more sanctionable than many fights in the sport of boxing.”
However, former British middleweight Nick Blackwell – who had to retire from boxing after he sustained a brain injury against Chris Eubank Jr in 2016 – said he disagrees with the fight going ahead as he feels it is “so dangerous”.
He told BBC Newsbeat he does not “want anyone to go through what I’ve been through” and thinks Joshua will be “able to do what he wants”.
Despite his personal objection, he understands the global appeal the fight will have.
“He’s going to earn much money out of it and everyone’s going to want to watch it,” he added.
“It’s entertainment for everyone, a massive stage for them both, but I don’t agree with it, and the whole boxing world won’t agree with it.”
