Jake Paul vs Anthony Joshua: The pick of the specials for Saturday's showdown in Miami

• American Jake Paul has fought 70 professional rounds.

• Britain's Anthony Joshua has boxed 167 professional rounds.

• The pair meet in a bout scheduled for eight rounds.

Jake Paul v Anthony Joshua
Miami, Saturday 20 December
04:30 (UK viewers), Live on Netflix

Truth is stranger than fiction, and that's certainly true of modern boxing.

In the 1982 Hollywood movie Rocky III, Sylvester Stallone's punchy heavyweight Rocky Balboa stood toe-to-toe with Hulk Hogan's "Thunderlips" in a charity match.

"The ultimate male versus the ultimate meatball." The stuff of Hollywood, right?

Fast-forward 43 years, and life imitates art in Jake Paul vs. Anthony Joshua. The world-famous content creator continues his unique journey in professional boxing, facing former Olympic gold medallist and world heavyweight boxing champion Anthony Joshua.

Fight fans have two options

I could cover pages and pages writing about what's wrong with this fight, touching on the dangers involved. But any right-minded boxing fan with a genuine passion for the noble art already knows the score.

Whether we agree with it or not, Paul vs AJ is happening.

We have two options: we can ignore the fight and pretend it never happened, or we can take advantage of the interesting betting markets available at Betfair, target a profit, and follow live on Netflix.

You can check out my in-depth preview here, or keep reading as I guide you through the Jake Paul vs Anthony Joshua betting specials.

Serious bout or well-paid spar?

Regular readers of my boxing previews and predictions know I like to lean heavily on the stats and trends when finding a bet.

In my many years involved in boxing, first as the son of a professional fighter, then as an amateur and pro boxer, and finally as a boxing writer, I've learned just how useful the form can be for picking a winner. But studying the numbers won't do us many favours on Friday.

Bettors must try to second-guess just how seriously Joshua will take this challenge. If it's a fair fight with both men coming to win, we'll see AJ flatten Paul, just like he did former UFC champion Francis Ngannou.

If it's a glorified spar, another marketing stunt by "The Problem Child" and a chance for AJ to make some extra millions before Christmas, we'll need to get creative with our predictions.

With that in mind, we dive into the special betting markets available on the Betfair Sportsbook.

Five Jake Paul vs AJ betting specials

Having studied the specials available on the Betfair app and website, I've selected five that may interest readers ahead of the first bell in Miami.

Price boost

Do you expect Joshua to take the money and run? You can keep it simple and back AJ to win inside the opening two rounds. Betfair traders have boosted their odds from 6/52.20 to 11/82.38, and I certainly wouldn't put anyone off an interest.

Most punches thrown

Joshua is much bigger, heavier and stronger than his American opponent. That means Paul must throw lots of punches and move his feet quickly to avoid being tagged. You can back Jake to throw more punches than Anthony at 9/43.25. Another decent play.

AJ to win in the first minute of any round

A special that'll catch the eye of AJ fans is the Englishman to win inside the first minute of any round. When placing this wager, it doesn't matter if Joshua stops Paul inside 60 seconds of the first, last or any round between. The 13/53.60 makes plenty of appeal.

No knockdowns

Anthony Joshua's last three wins came by way of knockout, stretching his record to 25 KOs from 28 wins. There's no denying he has the power to leave his rival stretched out on the canvas, but will he go for the stoppage? You can bet on Joshua to put on a show and win on points without either man scoring a knockdown at a handy 13/27.50.

AJ to leave it late at big odds

The final #OddsOnThat market at Betfair comes with the biggest price attached, offering followers a shot at an incredible 90/191.00. Landing that would certainly make this fight worthwhile. You're backing Joshua for a grandstand finish, knocking his opponent to the floor inside a minute of round eight before forcing the stoppage.

Bet smart on Paul vs Joshua

I believe the pre-fight betting will be more interesting than the contest itself. If you do decide to spice things up by gambling on Paul vs AJ, there's plenty going on at Betfair. I expect Joshua to knock Paul out early.

The former world heavyweight champion won't be firing on all cylinders, but AJ also has hopes of regaining the title in 2026, meaning he can't afford an embarrassing slip-up here.

Remember, anything can happen in heavyweight boxing, especially in such an unpredictable fight like Paul vs Joshua. Bet smart, Merry Christmas, and I'll be back in the New Year with my usual boxing previews and predictions at Betting.Betfair.

Now read our latest World Darts tips here.