Less than three years after Tommy Fury scored an eight-round split decision win over Jake Paul, the latter will headline a Netflix show against two-time unified heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua.

By his own admission, Paul didn't believe his rise would happen this fast or reach this scale.

The WBA's No. 15-ranked cruiserweight contender, Paul is about to step up to a higher level against Joshua, a faded-yet-feared concussive punching 6-foot-6 Brit who once ruled boxing's glamour division.

Joshua (28-4, 25 KOs) hasn't boxed for 15 months, and after Daniel Dubois blitzed him in five rounds it was easy to declare him done.

Paul's professional debut came seven months after Joshua was upset in 2019 in New York's Madison Square Garden against Andy Ruiz. He fought against another YouTuber and novice boxer in Miami, and almost six years later he's the star attraction looking to do the impossible at Kaseya Center.

All things considered, it's the sort of fanciful script Netflix could've made into a docuseries.

"You have to salute Mr. Paul, who would've thought he would get to this point where people are taking him seriously in our industry, queuing up to fight him," Don Charles, who masterminded Dubois' win over Joshua last year, tells The Ring.

Two-time IBF cruiserweight champion Mairis Briedis got a Paul-inspired tattoo in 2022, and there are several other world-class fighters, beltholders and contenders across multiple weight divisions who've attempted to join the circus.

Paul's selective matchmaking, consisting mostly of retired MMA fighters, nondescript club boxers and a 58-year-old Mike Tyson means many don't take him seriously.

"He puts bums on seats, earns loads of money, you've got to commend him for that, he's about to fight the world's most popular boxer, who would've thought that even two years ago?" Charles said.

"People still think it's a joke but he's done really well, irrespective of what happens — we know what will happen — I thought it was an exhibition when it was announced. He'll go down trying to survive but if Joshua doesn't get rid of him inside two rounds, something is wrong."

How would Charles prepare Joshua for such an opponent?

"I'd say don't go looking for it, take a round and collect some data, put something on him and make him know that he shouldn't be in this ring with you," said Charles, who trained Dubois for two years until their August split. "He can end it inside a minute if he wanted to, but Paul will move. He's not that foolish to stand toe-to-toe with him, so when a man is running, the hardest thing to do is try knocking him out.

"Take your time, track him, cut the ring off, put a jab on him, break him down with that jab, no rush, you've got eight rounds. Paul gets paid either way and can say he fought Mike Tyson and Anthony Joshua. That's his Netflix movie."

Charles could've very well been in the opposite corner to Joshua once more, having been approached to be part of Paul's camp. He confirmed they had a conversation, but said nothing came of it contrary to reports in recent weeks.

Instead, he'll head back home to his native Nigeria with Olympic champion Tony Yoka (14-3, 11 KOs), who boxes Patrick Korte on Queensberry's Dec. 21 show in Lagos topped by Lawrence Okolie-Ebenezer Tetteh on DAZN.

Nonetheless, the world will be tuning in Friday night.