I'm old enough to remember a time when Anthony Joshua was a dominant heavyweight champion. Of sorts. Boxing twice a year, unifying titles and appearing to boast an appreciation of the science and promotion of fights, Joshua had a crowd pleasing, aggressive style and a plan for fistic and commercial longevity. There was a flicker of vulnerability, or perhaps a growing dislike for the type of slug match that saw him quieten the last of Wladimir Klitschko, and he did became more circumspect in defences beyond it but he was a sturdy and capable King.

The wished for defining fights with Deontay Wilder and Tyson Fury gave way to defining fights with Andy Cruz and Oleksandr Usyk before the thuggery of Daniel Dubois left him in a heap of broken tomorrows in the Autumn of 2024.

A wealthy heap, but a heap nevertheless.

An ego was crushed. And so, an indeterminate sabbatical began, postponed surgery undertaken and no visible, public presence for more than a year. Noises about fighting on were provided by his promoter, Eddie Hearn. Veiled references. Never certainty. Just sufficient to keep his name alive in the discourse around the Heavyweight picture.

As the year passed, the memory of his knockout defeat to Dubois - himself knocked out again by Usyk - began to fade. Joshua's 36th birthday arrived in October and presumably further confirmed that the hope of returning to the pomp of his late 20s was unrealistic. Elbow surgery does not quicken feet or reinstall intent, swagger or nerveless aggression. They were long since eroded along with his self-inflated sense of aura.

So, what now? If a return is to be contemplated, it would need measured, risk-averse curation. Even more caution than was afforded the previous return from the Usyk defeats in 2022. The man mountain of Francis Ngannou was the eye catching knockout to add to the modest threat of Robert Helenius, Otto Wallin and Jermaine Franklin.  They helped dull the memory of Usyk's brilliance. 

And then Dubois destroyed it all. Again. With the spectre of a Fury rematch the only viable super-fight left with Wilder long since shattered by age and resourceful punchers. The British public will love Joshua v Fury despite the knowledge it is no longer that which it once was, some sort of preamble is required. A qualifier. Someone to create a renewal narrative. Something presentable but not too risky.

That was the plan for the Spring. If the sabbatical didn't lead to retirement. Or so it seemed.

Then the Jake Paul jokes got serious. The numbers got serious.

And in December. A once dominant heavyweight champion will box a YouTube influencer who lost on points to Tommy Fury at Cruiserweight around the time Joshua was boxing Usyk, live on the World's biggest streaming service.

For probably in the region of £30 million.

Frankly, who can blame him?