When Anthony Joshua made his professional debut against Emmanuel Leo in 2013, fresh from Olympic gold in London, the boxing world treated it like the start of a coronation.
At roughly the same time, a 16-year-old prankster from Ohio named Jake Paul was posting six-second Vine videos – chatting to pineapples in supermarkets and climbing into strangers’ shopping trolleys for a laugh.
More than a decade later, through wildly different routes, the pair have arrived at the same place.
This Friday, in Miami, they will share a ring in a professional heavyweight
Joshua and Paul were filmed racing speedboats along the Miami River on Sunday, laughing and waving as the skyline slid past behind them. It looked more like spring break than heavyweight boxing.
Two days later, Joshua changed the tone entirely by saying “if I can kill you, I will kill you”.
Joshua doubled down on those remarks a day later. His comments landed as heavily as his trademark right, a reminder that beneath the Instagram gloss, this is still a professional contest where knockouts are allowed.
His power is not a matter of debate, 25 knockouts in 28 wins. Joshua’s stoppage of Robert Helenius was a violent, unsettling finish. Francis Ngannou, a former UFC heavyweight champion, was knocked unconscious by a single punch.
Asked directly about safety, Joshua sidestepped the question.
“He’s got his groin guard on and his gum shield,” Joshua says. “That’s the only safety he is allowed.”
Joshua has promised fans will see the “full” version of himself against Paul – and that is precisely where the concern lies.
“I’ve never gone in there and knocked someone out within 10 seconds,” he adds.
“There’s a methodical process to knocking someone out. But if the opportunity presents itself, I’m not planning on carrying Jake for one second more than I have to.”
contest that still feels faintly unreal.
“I’m not worried about what people think about the integrity side, I’m more worried about are they talking?” Joshua says.
“That’s the whole point of this fight. It creates conversation.”
Paul says he has no fear and will “shock the world” to become the “king of boxing”.
They will fight eight three-minute rounds at the Kaseya Center, in standard 10oz gloves, under professional rules. Joshua wasn’t allowed to weigh more than 17st 7lb (111kg).
Otherwise, there are no concessions.
BBC explores how this unlikely fight came together, what both men have to gain and lose and why many within the sport are uneasy about the risk it represents.