Why do you hate Jake Paul? If you rack your brain, does a legitimate answer rattle around? Feel free to pause for thought before glancing or scrolling down this page – no one is in a rush here; Paul, like it or not, isn’t going anywhere. And the questions above are not meant to be condescending, honestly. We’re going to try to get to the bottom of this by the time you reach the bottom of the article.

Still, now seems as good a time as any to ask these questions, given the Disney Channel actor-turned-YouTuber-turned-boxer is preparing to fight Anthony Joshua – Britain’s former two-time unified world heavyweight champion. And as bizarre as that sentence may sound, it is written without even the raise of an eyebrow, because the fight is the natural next step on a most unnatural journey.

First, there were Paul’s fights with fellow social-media stars. Then the bouts with UFC stars. Then professional boxers, but those with little pedigree. Then came Mike Tyson: an all-time heavyweight great, though years, more so decades beyond his prime. So, from a certain perspective, why wouldn’t/couldn’t Paul fight Joshua? ‘Shouldn’t’ is a separate question, and we’ll come to the matter of Paul’s safety later.

But before we go further, maybe we should first tackle Paul’s personality as a potential reason for dislike. The American, 28, has proven irritable to many boxing fans and many viewers full stop. He has had his controversies, but as he told The Independent in 2023: “I think people judge me from my past a lot, versus looking at who I am today. I think, as humans, we naturally do that, so I get it. But yeah, I think that’s it…

“And they compare me to my brother,” he quickly added, referencing Logan, 30, who has followed a similar path to his younger sibling: YouTuber-turned-boxer-turned-WWE star. “Whenever he does something wrong, I get in trouble for it. I would probably say that’s the biggest thing.”

Indeed, there is a chance that some criticism of Jake has stemmed not from his own actions but from Logan’s, like the 2017 episode in which Logan faced major backlash for uploading a video filmed in Japan’s Aokigahara forest – a video that appeared to show a person who had taken their own life.

That said, Paul has, of course, faced controversies of his own. In 2021, he was accused of sexual assault by TikTok star Justine Paradise, who alleged an incident had occurred in 2019. Paul denied the allegation against him.

In any case, that matter is rarely cited among boxing fans as a reason for their dislike of Paul, anyway. Boxing fans tend to focus on the idea that the 28-year-old is making a mockery of the sport. Indeed, Paul’s fights tend not to inspire, and most opponents he has faced have carried an asterisk into the ring – too old, rusty, not a boxer.

And Paul himself is a curious case. His sole defeat, a points loss to Tommy Fury, showed the unpolished nature of his ability, yet his one-punch knockout of ex-UFC champion Tyron Woodley exhibited substantial power. The trouble against Fury was that Paul was not slick enough to create an opening for that power to be of use.

But if nothing else, Paul’s dedication to boxing is unwavering and unquestionable. He has committed himself to his training to an impressive degree, created a purpose-built facility in Puerto Rico for his camps, and told The Independent in 2023: “I need boxing. Boxing saved me.

“I was in a super dark place in my life. I lacked discipline, routine, community, passion, progress. Boxing gave me all of those things, and I loved punching people and getting punched! I love the pace of it, the strategy, everything behind it. It’s an art. Then there’s the build-up, the content, the press conferences, the outfits. All of it made me fall in love with boxing, to a point where I need boxing on a daily basis just to function. I love the sport, that’s really what it is.”

Perhaps it’s worth questioning whether Paul would really try to ruin a sport that he loves as much as you do.

Maybe you don’t like the idea that he loves boxing as much as you do. But bear in mind, Paul brought millions of eyes to a sport that was stagnating severely, in time for the Saudi injection of hundreds of millions of pounds. When the Gulf state started to facilitate the kind of matchmaking that hardcore fans had long craved, those fans were joined by new ones that had been introduced to boxing by Paul – even if they initially just wanted to see him get knocked out.

And while Paul wasn’t knocked out by Tommy Fury – half-brother of heavyweight star Tyson Fury – his defeat by the Briton in 2023 could have marked the end of his boxing endeavour. Yet a little over 18 months later, Paul was in his biggest fight yet: facing Mike Tyson, as a reported 60 million households watched on Netflix.

This is not to ignore the controversy of that fight. Paul was fighting a 58-year-old man; it was a farce beforehand, and it was a farce on the night. But is your issue with Paul that he was picking on Tyson? Beforehand, many believed that Tyson would knock out Paul, and afterwards, Paul admitted to going easy on his fellow American.

Some suggest they dislike Paul because his fights are “rigged”, but this is a nonsensical suggestion, and it has understandably seen Paul’s company Most Valuable Promotions (MVP) take legal action against the relevant parties. The allegations appear even more illogical in light of this year’s NBA illegal-gambling scandal, and the FBI’s investigation into UFC fight-fixing allegations, and the potential ramifications.

Furthermore, the co-main event of Paul vs Tyson was the second of three fights between women’s greats Katie Taylor and Amanda Serrano, which became the most-watched women’s sporting event in history thanks to its average of 74m viewers, according to Netflix.Paul and MVP not only played a crucial role in guaranteeing seismic viewership for Taylor vs Serrano 2 (and the trilogy bout on Netflix this summer) but also in securing each fighter the first seven-figure paydays in women’s boxing in 2022, when the rivals first clashed.

MVP continues to platform women’s fighters in key spots, with Paul having fought in support bouts for Serrano before, and with Alycia Baumgardner due to compete in the co-main event on 19 December, when Paul boxes Joshua, 36, in Miami. Then there is Paul’s emphasis on fighter pay and the problems he has highlighted in the UFC’s model. Neither this rhetoric nor the focus on women’s boxing is just an easy PR win, MVP’s CEO Nakisa Bidarian insisted to The Independent earlier this year.

That said, Paul was due to box Gervonta Davis on 14 November, only for the bout to be called off following an investigation into allegations of battery against Davis – allegations made by an ex-girlfriend. While Paul did the right thing in cancelling the fight, especially considering MVP’s stance on women’s athletes, these were not the first accusations of battery levied at Davis by an ex-girlfriend. In August, the mother of two of Davis’s three children dropped a domestic-violence case against the unbeaten lightweight champion.

Davis has not publicly addressed any allegations against him, but concerning previous claims, Paul and Bidarian said they had been willing to give the 31-year-old a chance – until this latest episode.

All of this brings us back to the start: why do you hate Paul? Perhaps it is a question to ponder beyond this page. If you really do hate him, maybe you’ll relish his fight with Joshua, which brings genuine peril for Paul. Or maybe you’ll respect him at last for taking on a ‘true challenge’? Maybe this what it takes: Paul facing one of the greatest KO artists in boxing, a much-bigger man no less.

Still, those who think they crave a brutal defeat for Paul may be left feeling uneasy, if such brutality is actually unleashed.

If you are experiencing feelings of distress, or are struggling to cope, you can speak to the Samaritans, in confidence, on 116 123 (UK and ROI), email jo@samaritans.org, or visit the Samaritans website to find details of your nearest branch.

If you are based in the USA, and you or someone you know needs mental health assistance right now, call the National Suicide Prevention Helpline on 1-800-273-TALK (8255). This is a free, confidential crisis hotline that is available to everyone 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

If you are in another country, you can go to www.befrienders.org to find a helpline near you.