In an unexpected twist, former heavyweight boxing champion Anthony Joshua is set to face YouTuber-turned-boxer Jake Paul in the ring. The primary motivation? The hefty paycheck that accompanies such a high-profile matchup.
But beyond the financial incentives, Joshua has his sights set on making a statement. Discussing the upcoming bout, scheduled for December 19 at Miami’s Kaseya Center, Joshua remarked, “Jake or anyone can get this work. No mercy. I took some time out and I’m coming back with a mega show. It’s a big opportunity for me. Whether you like it or not, I’m here to do massive numbers, have big fights and break every record whilst keeping cool, calm and collected. Mark my words, you’ll see a lot more fighters take these opportunities in the future.”
Joshua also made a bold, albeit cryptic, prediction about the fight: “I’m about to break the internet over Jake Paul’s face.” While the meaning is unclear, the sentiment is unmistakable—Joshua is ready to make waves.
The highly anticipated Paul-Joshua fight will be available for streaming on Netflix. The match is set to last eight rounds, each lasting three minutes, with both fighters donning the traditional 10-ounce gloves used in sanctioned heavyweight bouts. For a sneak peek, check out the fight promo.
For Joshua (28-4, 25 KOs), this fight offers a chance that eluded WBA lightweight champion Gervonta “Tank” Davis, who missed out on his opportunity to fight Paul due to a civil lawsuit filed by a former girlfriend accusing him of aggravated battery, false imprisonment, kidnapping, and intentional infliction of emotional distress.
Originally, Paul was preparing to face Davis, standing at 5-foot-5 and weighing 130 pounds. Instead, he will now contend with the formidable Joshua, towering at 6-foot-6 and weighing in at 250 pounds.
Paul had been prepping to square up against the 5-foot-5, 130-pound southpaw in Davis but now will face Joshua, who stands 6-foot-6 and weighs 250 pounds.
Paul (12-1, 7 KOs) weighed his heaviest, at 227.25 pounds, when he fought Mike Tyson for a heavyweight exhibition bout in 2024.
“This isn’t an AI simulation. This is Judgment Day,” Paul said in a statement. “A professional heavyweight fight against an elite world champion in his prime… To all my haters, this is what you wanted.””
Yes, Paul’s haters will get their wish in Joshua, a two-time heavyweight champion and Olympic gold medalist, who’s unlike all the other boxers Paul has faced. The bulk of Paul’s wins have come against MMA fighters or washed-up boxers. But, at 36, Joshua is not far from his prime, having last fought for a heavyweight crown 14 months ago when he lost via knockout to Daniel Dubois in an IBF title bout.
And it wasn’t all that long ago when Joshua nearly flatlined one of the scariest fighters on the planet, Francis Ngannou, in March 2024. Check out these nukes from Joshua:
Paul, who reportedly sought Ryan Garcia to replace Davis, had also been linked to Joshua for the past six months. Back in July, he predicted he would fight Joshua, saying,”We’re gonna do the unthinkable and create one of the biggest fights in the history of boxing, and that’s what this is all about.”
But the real unthinkable has yet to happen, and that would be Paul defeating Joshua on Dec. 19.
