A major rule change has been confirmed just hours before Anthony Joshua steps into the ring with Jake Paul, with the bout now set to take place in a significantly larger ring, Matchroom Boxing chief Eddie Hearn revealed.
Joshua, the former two-time unified heavyweight champion, has already agreed to a 245lb weight limit for the fight but now, Hearn has confirmed that the contest will be fought in a 22x22ft ring, close to the largest permitted size, giving both fighters considerably more space than usual.
Speaking to IFL TV, Hearn explained the change, which was later confirmed by Paul himself during the final pre-fight press conference. Paul described the ring size as standard, noting that professional fights typically range between 20 and 24 feet, and said he felt comfortable with the 22-foot setup.
The bout marks Joshua’s first appearance since his fifth-round knockout loss to Daniel Dubois at Wembley last September. Paul enters the fight following a June unanimous decision win over former WBC middleweight champion Julio Cesar Chavez Jr.
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Image Credit: The Ring