Eddie Hearn has explained why Jake Paul wanted to impose a weight limit on Anthony Joshua -- and admitted his own crafty response to regain the edge.
Joshua (28-4, 25 KOs) can weigh no more than 245 pounds at the official weigh in but there is no limit to what he can weigh inside the ring on Dec. 19.
Hearn said he told Most Valuable Promotions co-founder Nakisa Bidarian that Joshua was weighing around 290 pounds in order to get more favourable terms.
"I spoke to [Joshua] and he was sitting at 265 pounds or something like that. I think I told Nakisa that he was 290 pounds or something like that," Hearn BBC 5 Live.
"I said I'm not interested in balloon gloves and two-minute rounds but he said it was a real fight. I asked if it was 10 rounds or eight rounds, they said fine to eight.
"They said: 'The only thing is that Jake will weigh about 220 pounds and we want AJ to come down in weight.'
"He's a heavyweight and hasn't cut weight before. They said: 'Look we're not being funny and it's not that we need an advantage but we need you to have some disadvantage.'"
At the pre-fight news conference last week, Paul predicted he would knock Joshua out, insisting he believes he could beat the former two-time unified heavyweight champion.