George Groves criticises Joshua vs Jake Paul, claiming the fight is beneath the champion and driven by promoter Eddie Hearn’s financial gain

Former WBA champion George Groves has openly criticised Anthony Joshua’s upcoming fight against Jake Paul, questioning both the sporting merit and financial motivations behind the bout.

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The heavyweight clash is scheduled for December 19 in Miami and will be streamed live on Netflix.

Speaking in an exclusive interview with FootItalia, Groves accused Matchroom CEO Eddie Hearn of prioritising profit over Joshua’s professional legacy.

“Eddie Hearn has sold AJ out. Promoters aren’t driven by the same things that fighters are driven by. They’re driven by money. The financial gain they get is their legacy,” Groves said.

He added that the bout was “beneath” Joshua’s professional stature and suggested the British-Nigerian fighter should walk away.

“Wouldn’t it have been cool if Joshua just said, ‘fuck that, I’m actually a professional. I’m going to fight someone who’s worthy of sharing a ring with me.’ I think it would’ve been tough for most people, but I would walk away if I was Joshua. It’s beneath me. Let someone else take the money. Let someone else sell out.”

Despite his criticism, Groves acknowledged that Jake Paul appears to be taking the contest seriously, assembling a high-quality sparring team featuring Lawrence Okolie and Jared Anderson.

“I saw a picture where he actually had Okolie, Jared Anderson and then there was one other, and I was like, that’s a formidable sparring team that you’ve accumulated for the Joshua fight,” Groves said.

He further questioned the strategic use of the sparring team, noting the uncertainty over whether it is a genuine preparation or primarily for show.

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Paul recently revealed he suffered a broken nose during training, highlighting the physical stakes involved in the bout.